U.S.-Mexico Marine Emissions Control Policy Mission

September 25-27, 2012

Mexico City, Mexico

To support the North American Emissions Control Area (ECA), EPA and the Department of Commerce are discussing regional approaches to limiting emissions from ships with Mexican government representatives, with a focus on stack air pollution reduction technologies for nitrogen oxides (NOx).

Ships are significant contributors to the U.S. and Canadian mobile source emission inventories, though most are registered in foreign countries. The U.S. participates in the North American ECA, which implements International Maritime Organization (IMO) marine emissions standards. The North American ECA requires ships within 200 nautical miles of U.S. and Canadian coasts to reduce their emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulfur oxides (SOx), and fine particulate matter as of August 2012.

EPA estimates that by 2020 the annual benefits of the ECA will include preventing between 5,500 and 14,000 premature deaths, 3,800 emergency room visits, and 4,900,000 cases of acute respiratory symptoms. Compliance with the ECA can also foster opportunities for U.S. companies capable of delivering technologies to limit emissions from large ships. The U.S. Department of Commerce and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are working together to increase U.S. environmental technologies exports in this and other key environmental technologies sectors.

This event represents collaboration between the U.S. Department of Commerce and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the U.S. Environmental Export Initiative to increase the capacity of foreign entities to address environmental concerns while fostering export opportunities the U.S. environmental industry.

For more information, please contact Todd DeLelle at the U.S. Department of Commerce: todd.delelle@trade.gov