Estimation and assessment of shipping emissions in the region of Ambarli Port, Turkey

Ships are significant air pollution sources as their high powered main engines often use heavy fuels. The major atmospheric components emitted are nitrogen oxides, particulate matter, sulfur oxides, carbon oxide, and toxic air pollutants. Shipping emissions cause serious effects on health and environment. These effects of emissions are seen especially in territorial waters, inland seas, canals, straits, bays, and port regions. In this article, exhaust gas emissions from ships in Ambarli Port, which is one of the main ports in Marmara Sea, are calculated by utilizing data acquired in 2005. Total emissions from ships in the port is estimated as 845 t y^-1 for nitrogen oxides (NO_x), 242 t y^-1 for sulfur dioxide (SO₂), 2127 t y^-1 for carbon monoxide (CO), 78590 t y^-1 for carbon dioxide (CO₂), 504 t y^-1 for volatile organic compound (VOC), and 36 t y^-1 for particulate matter (PM). To simulate dispersions of emissions, a model program with the real topographic and meteorological conditions of the port region is used. Ships in Ambarli Port contributed 100 μg m^-3 NO_x and 55 μg m^-3 SO₂ to ambient air concentrations in 2 km range from the port. It is estimated that 60,000 people live within this range and these people might be affected from the high level of NO_x and SO₂ due to combination of shipping emissions and other sources (traffic, industry, residential, etc).