Pollution: Three steps to a green shipping industry

Abstract

Tianjin THE DIRTY TENParticulate matter less than 2.5 micrometres (PM 2.5 ) emitted from dirty marine fuel oil causes poor air quality along shipping lanes. Emissions-control zones omit the ten largest container ports, which contribute an estimated 20% of worldwide port emissions of nitrogen oxides and sulfur oxides.

The IMO 2020 sulphur cap: a step forward for planetary health?

“…1 Cleaner marine fuel is a positive step forward for global environmental health, ensuring cleaner coastal air, reducing ecological damage, and ultimately saving lives. 2 Marine fuel is considered the lowest grade of fuel, often made up of heavy fuel oil and diesel oil. It emits high amounts of fine and ultrafine particulate matter, sulphur oxides (SO x ), nitrogen oxides (NO x ), metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and soot.…”

Biotic exchange from movement of ‘static’ maritime structures

“…Obsoletes have transferred live NIS despite undergoing month-long, inter-ocean towing across steep gradients of temperature and salinity (Davidson et al 2008a). Derelicts and obsoletes are a worldwide environmental problem often passed down a chain of decreasing regulatory oversight with concentrated ship scrapping in India, Bangladesh, Pakistan (Hossain 2015) and Mexico (shown here) (Wan et al 2016). Historic maritime vessels pose a similar invasion risk as they are towed or selfpropelled globally at slow speeds for restoration, relocation (Apte et al 2000) and goodwill tours (Carlton and Hodder 1995).…”

“…Derelicts and obsoletes often remain moored for a long period of time during the transition from functioning vessels to floating structures, which marks the end of any regular biofouling management that accompanied 'vessel' status. They may then be towed to multiple locations to await removal, with larger vessels frequently towed internationally to be recycled (Wan et al 2016). Obsoletes have transferred live NIS despite undergoing month-long, inter-ocean towing across steep gradients of temperature and salinity (Davidson et al 2008a).…”

OPINION PIECE Counterproductive consequences of ‘anti-GMO’ activism

“…So far, nobody has ever calculated the added costs generated by this enormous long-distance trade for animal breeders and consumers, and for the environment as well. Indeed, maritime transportation has a huge environmental impact (see Wan et al 2016).…”