Greenland Approves Phased Ban on Ship Scrubber Discharges from 2027
Greenland, the large Arctic island in the North Atlantic that is part of the Kingdom of Denmark, will ban wash water discharges from ships’ exhaust gas cleaning systems, known as scrubbers, in its waters. The country’s parliament, Inatsisartut, in Nuuk, approved the phased ban unanimously, with 21 votes in favour and none against.
The decision, reported by local outlet Sermitsiaq, was adopted on 8 October 2026 after a debate on a proposal from Justus Hansen of the Demokraatit party. The approved version has a slower timetable than first proposed.
From 1 July 2027, discharges from open-loop scrubbers will be banned in Greenland’s port areas, internal waters and territorial waters. From 1 July 2029, the ban will cover all scrubber types, including closed-loop and hybrid systems.
Scrubber wash water can contain heavy metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which can harm sensitive Arctic marine life. Greenland said in December 2025 that it would align with OSPAR, the North-East Atlantic environmental convention. OSPAR agreed in June 2025 to a similar phased ban in ports and internal waters. Greenland’s rule goes further by also covering its territorial sea.
The move adds to a growing list of ports and coastal states that limit scrubber discharges, and there are calls for wider action across the Arctic.
Engineers and officers on scrubber-fitted ships trading to Greenland will need to plan fuel changeover to compliant low-sulphur fuel before entering these waters, and keep accurate records of scrubber operation and fuel switching for inspections.
