OSPAR’s 16 Contracting Parties have reached an agreement to phase out discharge from Exhaust Gas Cleaning Systems (EGCS) in coastal waters of the North‑East Atlantic, according to DNV's release.
The parties will ban open‑loop scrubber discharge in internal waters and ports from 1 July 2027, and closed‑loop discharge from 1 July 2029.
Contracting Parties may postpone implementation by up to three years under national discretion.
OSPAR also intends to recommend an extension of the ban to territorial waters (12 nm), with a working group to determine whether this should become mandatory by 2027.
Denmark, Finland and Sweden have already implemented restrictions on open‑loop scrubbers from 1 July 2025 covering their territorial waters, including the Baltic Sea.
No extension to Mediterranean waters has been agreed; Spain and France will decide independently whether to adopt similar restrictions.
EGCS‑equipped vessels must either operate in zero‑discharge mode, upgrade to hybrid/closed‑loop with holding capacity, or switch to compliant fuel in port to ensure emissions compliance.
Any modification to statutory‑approved EGCS requires re‑approval under the MEPC.340(77) guideline effective 1 June 2022; this includes updates to statutory documentation and, where applicable, MED certification.
A manufacturer change requires submission of a new EU Declaration of Conformity. Note: The provided source text lacks data on estimated costs, enforcement mechanisms and environmental impact assessments.
Environmental NGOs, including Seas at Risk, had lobbied for a robust regulation on scrubber wash‑water discharge, deeming it a “landmark step” as it marks the first regional regulation on scrubber discharge. NGO submissions to OSPAR highlighted contaminant loads—including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and heavy metals—along with vanadium, zinc and nickel identified in wash‑water studies. However, the Clean Shipping Alliance criticized the decision as premature, citing a lack of credible science and insufficient risk assessment.
The OSPAR Commission is the intergovernmental body established under the OSPAR Convention, responsible for coordinating environmental protection measures in the North‑East Atlantic on behalf of its 15 member states and the European Union. It issues legally binding decisions (e.g. Decision 2025/01) to ensure consistent implementation by its parties.
Seas at Risk is a Brussels‑based coalition of marine‑environment NGOs actively campaigning for stronger marine protection. They provided submissions and public advocacy supporting a scrubber discharge ban.
Clean Shipping Alliance (CSA) is an industry coalition representing EGCS manufacturers and ship operators.