Circular
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Circular

  1 The Marine Environment Protection Committee, at its sixty-second session (11 to 15 July 2011), adopted, by resolution MEPC.202(62), amendments to MARPOL Annex VI to designate the United States Caribbean Sea Emission Control Area for NOx, SOx and particulate matter (amendments to regulations 13, 14 and Appendix VII).

  2 MEPC 62 agreed to circulate information on the United States Caribbean Sea Emission Control Area (ECA) and requested the Secretariat to disseminate the information as an MEPC Circular (MEPC 62/24, paragraph 6.37.7).

  3 Appendix VII to MARPOL Annex VI contains the definition and boundaries with the full coordinates of the United States Caribbean Sea ECA, which is based on the "North American Datum of 1983/World Geodetic System 1984 (NAD83/WGS84)". Diagrams showing the geographical distribution of the United States Caribbean Sea ECA are set out in annex 1 to this circular, and the full list of coordinates may be found in annex 2 to this circular.

  4 The above amendments are expected to enter into force on 1 January 2013, upon their deemed acceptance on 1 July 2012.

  5 In accordance with the provisions of regulation 14.7 of MARPOL Annex VI, the requirements within the United States Caribbean Sea ECA for SOx and particulate matter will be effective on 1 January 2014.

  6 While ships are operating in the United States Caribbean Sea ECA, the sulphur content of fuel oil used on board ships shall not exceed 1.00% m/m on and after 1 January 2014, and 0.10% m/m on and after 1 January 2015. For ships, built on or before 1 August 2011, that are powered by propulsion boilers that were not originally designed for continued operation on marine distillate fuel or natural gas, the above sulphur requirements may not be applied prior to 1 January 2020 (regulation 14.4.4 of MARPOL Annex VI).

  7 Ships constructed on or after 1 January 2016 shall comply with the NOx emission limits specified in regulation 13.5.1.1, when operating within the United States Caribbean Sea ECA.

  8 Member Governments are invited to bring this circular to the attention of their Administrations, relevant shipping organizations, recognized organizations, shipping companies and other stakeholders concerned.

Parent topic: MEPC.1/Circular.755 – Information on the United States Caribbean Sea Emission Control Area under MARPOL Annex VI – (2 November 2011)
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