Air pollution from cruise ships

Abstract

Maritime transport is one of the leading sources of air pollution in port and coastal cities. A significant contribution to air pollution caused by the activities related to maritime traffic refers to traffic of cruise ships, which regularly consume considerable amounts of fuel in ports due to increased demand for electricity. The combustion of these fuels results in emissions containing relatively high concentration of sulfur and nitrogen oxides, as well as carbon dioxide. In the form of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) they contaminate the environment and become dangerous to the health of living beings. With the increase in the traffic of cruise ships the amount of ship emissions is also increasing and thus the contribution to air pollution is becoming highly important. This paper analyzes the impact of cruise ships on the air quality in the city of Dubrovnik, according to data from measuring station Žarkovica.