North American emission control area comes into effect on 1 August 2012

The North American Emission Control Area (ECA), under the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL), comes into effect from 1 August 2012, bringing in stricter controls on emissions of sulphur oxides (SOx), nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate matter for ships trading off the coasts of Canada, the United States and the French overseas collectivity of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon.