Japan preparing for ECA application

January 2012

Japan is planning to submit an application to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) for an emission control area (ECA). Currently three different options are being considered, ranging from localised "micro-ECAs" to a comprehensive ECA similar to that adopted for North America.

The "micro-ECAs" would introduce strict emission limits in waters around some of the most densely populated areas with a high volume of shipping traffic, such as Tokyo and Osaka Bay. The two other options are a 200 nautical mile (nm) or a 50 nm ECA zone in the coastal waters around Japan. An assessment of costs and benefits is currently underway for the different options.

Source: Sustainable Shipping News, 22 November 2010

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