Which area functions as an ECA that limits NOx emissions?

• A. Baltic Sea
• B. North American Area
• C. North Sea
• D. United States Caribbean Sea

Answer: (B)

Nitrogen oxide (NOx) Emission Control Areas are zones where ships must meet stricter NOx emission limits to protect air quality in coastal and populated regions. The North American Area is designated as one of these ECAs, covering U.S. and Canadian coastal waters and extending into nearby Caribbean areas. In this zone, ships are required to achieve lower NOx emissions from their engines than outside the ECA, according to the engine’s speed and type. This targeted tightening helps reduce air pollution where people live and where environmental sensitivity is high. While other coastal regions like the Baltic and North Seas are also NOx ECAs, the question’s context points to the North American Area as the applicable designation for limiting NOx in the described region.