Photo credit: The Maritime Executive
Europe Enacts OSPAR Ban on Scrubber Discharge to Safeguard Marine Ecosystems
In a significant environmental regulation, the 16 member states of the OSPAR Convention have approved a new regional ban on the discharge of scrubber wash water in the North‑East Atlantic. The decision was finalized during the Ministerial meeting in Vigo, Spain, on June 26–27, 2025.
Under the agreement, discharges from open‑loop scrubbers—which use seawater to remove sulfur oxides from exhaust—will be prohibited in internal waters and port areas by July 2027. This first stage targets regions along the coasts of Spain, France, the United Kingdom, Norway, and extending westward toward Greenland. A second stage will ban discharge from closed‑loop scrubbers, which recirculate wash water but produce concentrated contaminants, by January 2029.
Environmental organisations welcomed the ban as a “landmark moment for marine protection,” with Seas at Risk emphasising that “toxic waste water from scrubbers has no place in the ocean”. They argue that scrubber effluent—including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, heavy metals, and acidic compounds—undermines efforts to improve air quality by transferring pollution from the atmosphere back to the sea.
The current ban applies solely to internal waters and ports, excluding territorial waters up to 12 nautical miles offshore. While many OSPAR states pushed for a broader ban in territorial seas, consensus was not reached. A comprehensive review is expected by 2027, following further impact studies.
In addition to the scrubber ban, OSPAR ministers agreed to expand their maritime jurisdiction by over 2.5 million square kilometres, now including areas around the Azores, Madeira, Canary Islands, and Macaronesia. Accompanying measures address marine litter, plastic pollution from buoys, underwater noise, and strengthen Arctic marine protected zones. The scrubber ban represents a crucial step in aligning shipping regulations with broader ocean conservation and decarbonisation objectives. In recent years, scrubbers have become a widespread compliance tool for vessels burning high-sulfur heavy fuel oil. However, as noted in recent assessments, scrubber effluent contains harmful pollutants from exhaust gas cleaning systems that require stricter discharge control and improved technology.
As OSPAR states prepare to implement these measures, the maritime sector faces clear incentives to pursue cleaner marine fuel alternatives such as LNG, biodiesel, methanol, or hydrogen. Ship designers and operators are now increasingly expected to focus on energy-efficient vessel design, exhaust-free propulsion systems, and flexible modular emissions control to meet future compliance and maintain operational competitiveness.
Shipowners and operators should assess exposure to internal and port water discharge zones and prepare for the open‑loop ban effective July 2027 and the closed‑loop ban by January 2029. Retrofitting or conversion to alternative scrubber technologies will be costly and operationally complex. Forward-looking ship designs may adopt modular exhaust systems or shift toward zero-emission fuels and electric or wind-assisted propulsion systems.
The ban is expected to drive innovation and investment in green shipbuilding, nudging the industry toward truly regenerative solutions. With emerging scrutiny extending to territorial waters post‑2027, vessels should be future‑proofed now to remain compliant and seize first‑mover advantages in cleaner shipping.
OSPAR’s regional scrubber discharge ban is a decisive and impactful measure to protect marine environments and strengthen maritime regulations. The phased approach—open‑loop by 2027, closed‑loop by 2029—provides clear timelines that prompt the shipping industry to transition away from polluting washwater discharge. While broader territorial waters remain under review, this regional action sets a benchmark for marine protection and ship design innovation across Europe and beyond.
