Understanding the impact of environmental areas on maritime operations

Shipping and cruise companies operate across multiple jurisdictions, each with their own environmental regulations, which are continuously updated. These rules encompass various environmental areas defined by the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, or MARPOL, which governs pollution control in maritime environments.

To protect sensitive marine regions, MARPOL establishes specific zones such as Emission Control Areas (ECAs), Particularly Sensitive Sea Areas (PSSAs), and Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). Each zone enforces regulations tailored to the environmental needs of its respective region.

Each area has distinct legal regulations that vessels must follow. For instance, ECAs impose stringent controls on emissions, specifically targeting sulphur and nitrogen oxides. MPAs are established primarily for the conservation of biodiversity and marine ecosystems, often restricting local activities like fishing and recreational use. In contrast, PSSAs are designated by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and specifically target international shipping to prevent pollution and navigational risks posed by commercial vessels. Both MPAs and PSSAs enforce strict discharge and equipment requirements, with some areas requiring oil-carrying ships to avoid them altogether.

The Great Barrier Reef, designated as a PSSA in 1990, exemplifies this protection level. While significant portions of the reef are restricted for activities like anchoring and fishing, shipping is allowed in designated lanes under strict guidelines. These include mandatory pilotage, routing systems, and discharge limitations, all aimed at preserving the reef’s unique biodiversity.

Special Areas under MARPOL, which entered into force in 2013 and include the Mediterranean, Baltic and Black Sea, also have requirements related to oil, garbage, and sewage discharge. In these areas the discharge of sewage from passenger ships is generally prohibited except when the vessel has an approved and certified sewage treatment plant.

Designated environmental areas significantly affect route planning. Shipping operators may decide on routes that minimise time spent in Emission Control Areas where vessels may need to use cleaner, more expensive fuel or install scrubbers, increasing operational costs.

Avoiding certain areas can result in increased fuel costs due to longer journey times, however. Therefore, route planners must balance out regulatory compliance with cost-efficiency and delivery deadlines. Doing this is a complex and time-consuming task. They must be across all applicable international and regional regulations, know the precise boundaries of where their route intersects with regulated areas, and understand how discharge and emissions allowances apply to their vessel and operations.

Additonally, in certain areas, operators may need to deploy efficiency strategies such as slow steaming, where ships travel at reduced speeds to lower fuel consumption and emissions. This requires meticulous scheduling and a systematic approach to ensure timely delivery despite slower transit times, as well as excellent communication between onboard and onshore teams.

Failing to get this planning right puts crews at risk of non-compliance, which can result in hefty fines and reputational damage. As well as delays and disruptions if a vessel needs to reroute because it’s not prepared and cannot meet the regulatory requirements of a particular area it is entering.

These myriads of regulations and their individual requirements makes achieving accurate and seamless compliance across a fleet extremely challenging and arduous. And the scope of the task is only set to grow as more environmental regulations are expected to be enacted.

As environmental regulations become more expansive and complex, staying informed and adapting operations is increasingly critical yet challenging, posing a higher risk of errors and deficiencies.

Digital solutions like LR OneOcean’s EnviroManager+ support efficient, compliant passage planning by providing crews with a clear, up-to-date map of environmentally regulated areas and zones worldwide. Teams on board and onshore can quickly assess, using colour-coding, detailed information on permitted, restricted, and prohibited operations within each area, allowing them to visualise and simplify compliance planning. Regularly updated regional and international rules ensure leaders are viewing up-to-date data, and empowered to make well-informed decisions, significantly reducing confusion and uncertainty.

EnviroManager+ integrates seamlessly with Voyage Planner as part of LR OneOcean’s Navigation solution. By overlaying environmental data with other voyage information, crews gain a comprehensive view of essential details in context, optimising passage planning across both planning and execution stages. Real-time data on weather forecasts, tidal patterns, port conditions, potential hazards, and environmental regulations enable crews to adjust vessel speed for fuel efficiency and manage discharges and emissions in compliance with regulations. With these digital solutions, ship leaders can create detailed, compliant passage plans in minutes.

EnviroManager+ also enables route planners to establish a comprehensive timeline of operational events based on environmental regulations. This timeline is displayed on a rolling 12-hour colour-coded display, highlighting upcoming regulatory changes for numerous discharge categories throughout a voyage. It automatically updates based on the ship’s position and speed, aiding decision-making and providing unprecedented situational awareness.

Most marine environmental harm from vessels comes from discharges, which are therefore tightly regulated. Under MARPOL, for instance, untreated sewage discharge is only permitted beyond 12 nautical miles from the nearest land. Accurately timing such discharges is essential for route planners, and digital solutions can optimise these timings to minimise the risk of non-compliance.

In an era of rapidly evolving environmental regulations, achieving compliance in maritime operations is increasingly complex and essential. Designated zones like ECAs, MPAs, and PSSAs are crucial for protecting sensitive marine environments, but they also introduce new layers of responsibility for ship operators and route planners. Effective passage planning now requires a balance of regulatory knowledge, precise timing, and cost management to ensure compliance without compromising operational efficiency.

Solutions like LR OneOcean’s EnviroManager+ empower maritime teams to navigate these challenges with accuracy and confidence. By providing real-time, up-to-date environmental data integrated with voyage planning tools, EnviroManager+ helps crews on board and onshore make informed decisions, optimize routes, and maintain compliance with ease. As the industry faces mounting environmental requirements, leveraging digital tools will be key to sustaining safe, compliant, and efficient voyages that protect both the marine ecosystem and operational integrity.