Use of scrubbers in the Mediterranean Sea Emission Control Area (Med ECA) in Marine Insurance P&I Club News 01/06/2026 From 1 May 2025, ships operating within the Mediterranean Emission Control Area (Med ECA) became subject to full compliance with the applicable sulphur requirements under the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) Annex VI[1], as amended by IMO Resolution MEPC.361(79). Geographical area The Med ECA is not defined by countries, but as a single continuous sea area under MARPOL Annex VI (Appendix VII), covering the entire Mediterranean Sea basin. It applies to all vessels operating within that sea area. All coastal States bordering the Mediterranean are effectively within the ECA, as it applies to ships operating anywhere in that sea area, regardless of flag. The Med ECA extends from the Strait of Gibraltar to the entrance of the Suez Canal and includes all Mediterranean sub-basins, including the Adriatic Sea and the Aegean Sea. Scope Within the Med ECA, ships must use marine fuels with a sulphur content of no more than 0.10% sulphur[2], as compared with the global 0.50% limit. This measure is intended to reduce harmful emissions of sulphur oxides (SOx) and particular matter, thereby improving air quality and protecting human health across densely populated coastal areas of Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. As noted above, the Med ECA is established under MARPOL Annex VI and applies throughout the Mediterranean Sea. However, under Articles 56(1) and 57 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), each coastal State bordering the Mediterranean exercises jurisdiction within its maritime zones, including its territorial sea and, where applicable, its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), which may extend up to 200 nautical miles from the baselines from which the breadth of the territorial sea is measured. Many neighbouring States have adopted regulatory measures that are more stringent than th