Impact of Shipping Emissions on European Air Quality

The impact of maritime transport emissions on air quality degradation over Europe is assessed for a winter (January 2006) and a summer month (July 2006) using CMAQ modeling system and the TNO anthropogenic emission inventory for 2006. Results suggest that shipping emissions increase NO2 and SO2 mixing ratios more than 90 % over the sea and close to the coastline, locally. Ship induced ozone contribution to total surface ozone exceeds 5 % over the sea and near the coastline during the summer month. The largest impact is simulated over the Mediterranean Sea. Ship traffic emissions are estimated to increase PM2.5 concentration during winter up to 40 % over the Mediterranean Sea while during summer an increase more than 50 % is simulated over the sea.