Policy initiatives > Air pollution from ships

Air pollution from ships

Ships pour out great quantities of pollutants into the air in the form of sulphur and nitrogen oxides.

The emissions from ships engaged in international trade in the seas surrounding Europe - the Baltic, the North Sea, the north-eastern part of the Atlantic, the Mediterranean and the Black Sea - were estimated to have been 2.3 million tonnes of sulphur dioxide and 3.3 million tonnes of nitrogen oxides a year in 2000.

In contrast to the progress in reducing emissions from land-based sources, shipping emissions of sulphur and nitrogen oxides are expected to continue increasing by 40-50 per cent up to 2020. In both cases, by 2020 the emissions from international shipping around Europe will have surpassed the total from all land-based sources in the 25 EU member states combined (se charts below).

Baseline scenario for emissions of SO2 (in kilotonnes) up to 2020 from landbased sources in EU25 and from international shipping in European sea areas. Source: IIASA 2006. For details see Acid News 4/06.

Baseline scenario for emissions of NOx (in kilotonnes) up to 2020 from landbased sources in EU25 and from international shipping in European sea areas. Source: IIASA 2006. For details see Acid News 4/06.

Technical solutions

There are however technical means by which these emissions could be reduced by as much as 80-90 per cent, and very cost-effectively compared with what would have to be done to achieve similar results ashore.

Viking Line's MV Mariella is the first passenger ship in the world to use HAM technology on all its main engines. The technology has reduced the emissions of nitrogen oxides by 80-85 per cent. Photo: Viking Line.		The freighter MS Cellus emits 90 per cent less NOx and 80 per cent less sulphur dioxide than an equivalent standard ship. It is equipped with an SCR flue gas emission control system and uses low-sulphur fuel oil. Photo: Sodra.

Significant health effects

According to results from continuing scientific research, premature deaths caused by air pollution from international shipping will total over 80,000 by 2012. Using cleaner marine fuel could prevent 40,000 to 50,000 premature deaths each year.

The researchers used the most recent global inventories of ships’ emissions of fine particulate matter (PM), sulphur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx). Through chemical reactions in the air, SO2 and NOx is being converted into fine particles, sulphate and nitrate aerosols.

Tiny airborne particles are linked to premature deaths. The particles get into the lungs and are small enough to pass through tissues and enter the blood. They can then trigger inflammations which eventually cause heart and lung failures. Ship emissions may also contain carcinogenic particles.

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Last modified: 18 March 2008.