Desde las últimas décadas existe una comprensible preocupación a nivel mundial por los efectos que la exhaustación de los motores de los buques causa sobre el medio ambiente. El convenio MARPOL regula la emisión de gases por parte de los buques y permite designar ciertas áreas como zonas de control de emisiones. El intenso tráfico marítimo en el Mar Mediterráneo y su incremento en el futuro inmediato convierte la zona del Mediterráneo en candidata a área especial de control de emisiones. En este trabajo se realiza un estudio para la designación o no de la zona oriental del Mar Mediterráneo como área especial de control de emisiones a partir del análisis del flujo del tráfico marítimo del Mediterráneo Oriental. The environmental impact and air pollution from ships have received increased attention the last several decades. Due to combustion characteristics typical of marine engines, as well as widespread use of unrefined fuel, the global fleet emits significant amounts of SOx, NOx and particulate matter to air. Consequently, most shipping nations around the world have adopted common rules for shipping through the International Maritime Organization. The International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) is the main international convention covering prevention of pollution of the marine environment by ships. MARPOL defines certain sea areas as special areas in which, for technical reasons relating to their oceanographic and ecological condition and their maritime traffic patterns, the adoption of special mandatory methods for the prevention of the sea pollution is required. The aim is to help the establishment of the Mediterranean Sea as ECA, through the study of maritime traffic flows in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea.