Evaluation of the Designation of the Mediterranean Sea as an Emission Control Area for Sulphur Oxides (Med SOx ECA) Pursuant to MARPOL Annex VI in Terms of Law of the Sea

Yıl 2021, Cilt: 4 Sayı: 2, 441 - 466, 14.10.2022

Nasıh Sarp Ergüven , Eyyüp Karahan , Nazan Özyürek Özlem Örme

Öz

The 22nd Meeting (COP 22) of the Contracting Parties to the Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment and the Coastal Region of the Mediterranean (Barcelona Convention) and its Protocols, held in Antalya, Türkiye, on 7-10 December 2021, adopted a significant decision on the designation of the Mediterranean Sea as an Emission Control Area for Sulphur Oxides (Med SOx ECA) pursuant to Annex VI to the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973, as modified by the Protocol of 1978 relating thereto, and as further amended by the Protocol of 1997 (MARPOL).
The decision is the outcome of intense consultations among the Contracting Parties that have been facilitated by the UN Environment Programme’s Mediterranean Action Plan (UNEP/MAP). It is expected to generate significant benefits for human health and for the integrity of ecosystems, which both suffer from harmful SOx emissions from the maritime transport sector. The Decision paves the way for the submission in 2022 of a joint and coordinated proposal on the designation of the Med SOx ECA to the 78th Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 78) of the International Maritime Organization (IMO). The Med SOx ECA could come into force in January 2025.
The main aim of this article is to evaluate the possible effects of the mentioned decision with regard to the law of the sea. By doing it so, MARPOL Annex VI and its relation to the Barcelona Convention system and other related international legal documents, will be discussed under the law of the sea.

Anahtar Kelimeler

International Law of the Sea, Protection of the Marine Environment, Barcelona Convention, MARPOL Annex VI, Med SOx ECA, UNEP/MAP, IMO

Akdeniz’in MARPOL Ek VI Kapsamında Kükürt Oksitler (Med SOx ECA) İçin Emisyon Kontrol Alanı Olarak Belirlenmesinin Deniz Hukuku Açısından Değerlendirilmesi

Öz

Akdeniz’in Deniz Ortamı ve Kıyı Bölgesinin Korunması Sözleşmesi (Barselona Sözleşmesi) ve Protokollerine Taraf Devletlerin 22. Top-lantısı (COP 22), 7-10 Aralık 2021 tarihlerinde Antalya'da gerçekleştirilmiştir. Toplantıda, 1978 Protokolü ile düzenlenen ve 1997 Protokolü ile daha da değiştirilen 1973 tarihli Denizlerin Gemilerden Kirlenmesini Önleme Uluslararası Sözleşmesi (MARPOL) Ek VI uyarınca Akdeniz'in Sülfür Oksitler için Emisyon Kontrol Alanı (Med SOx ECA) olarak belirlenmesine ilişkin önemli bir karar kabul edilmiştir.
Karar, Taraf Devletler arasında, Birleşmiş Milletler Çevre Programı Akdeniz Eylem Planı (UNEP/MAP) tarafından teşvik edilen yoğun istişarelerin bir sonucudur. Bu karar ile deniz taşımacılığı sektöründen kaynaklanan zararlı SOx salınımlarından zarar gören insan sağlığı ve ekosistemlerin bütünlüğü için önemli faydalar sağlaması beklenmektedir. Karar, Med SOx ECA'nın oluşturulmasına ilişkin ortak ve eşgüdümlü bir teklifin 2022 yılında Uluslararası Denizcilik Örgütü'nün (IMO) 78. Deniz Çevresini Koruma Komitesi'ne (MEPC 78) sunulmasının önünü açmaktadır. Med SOx ECA’nın Ocak 2025'te yürürlüğe girmesi beklenmektedir.
Bu makalenin temel hedefi, söz konusu kararın deniz hukuku açısından olası etkilerini değerlendirmektir. Bu amaçla, MARPOL Ek VI ve Barselona Sözleşmesi sistemi ve diğer ilgili uluslararası hukuki belgelerle olan ilişkisi deniz hukuku kapsamında ele alınacaktır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Uluslararası Deniz Hukuku, Deniz Çevresinin Korunması, Barselona Sözleşmesi, MARPOL Ek VI, Med SOx ECA, UNEP/MAP, IMO

Kaynakça

• A) BOOKS AND ARTICLES
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• B) CONVENTIONS
• Annex VI, Regulations for the Prevention of Air Pollution from Ships, to the MARPOL Convention (adopted 26 September 1997, entered into force 19 May 2005) For the official text of the Regulations see: Annex VI to MARPOL and NTC 2008 (IMO 2017) (MARPOL Annex VI).
• Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment and the Coastal Region of the Mediterranean and its Protocols (adopted 16 February 1976, entered into force 12 February 1978) 1102 UNTS 44 (Barcelona Convention).
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• The International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (adopted 2 November 1973, entered into force 2 October 1983) and its Protocol of 1978 (adopted 17 February 1978, entered into force 1 October 1983) 1340 UNTS 62 (MARPOL).
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• Decision IG.24/8, Road Map for a Proposal for the Possible Designation of the Mediterranean Sea, as a whole, as an Emission Control Area for Sulphur Oxides Pursuant to MARPOL Annex VI, within the Framework of the Barcelona Convention, <https://www.unep.org/ unepmap/meetings/cop-decisions/cop21-outcome-documents>accessed 20 April 2022.
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