The effects of operational and environmental conditions in cruise ship emissions in port areas

Abstract

Cruise ships produce significant levels of emissions, both greenhouse gases and air pollution, primarily as a consequence of propulsion power needs, but also due to the significant installed power of auxiliary engines. These emissions, particularly those occurring inside the area of major cruise ports, have caused significant concern among local populations and attracted the attention and study of environmental organizations worldwide. However, a number of technical parameters related to the ship’s operational patterns, such as ship speed, electric power demand and local environmental conditions, namely tidal current speed, have influence on the levels of cruise ship emissions in port areas. This paper presents a methodology for calculating ship emissions based on the details of the ship’s route within the port area, describes its implementation in a computational tool and applies it to estimate emissions for a typical cruise ship call within the port of Lisbon, considering the effects of the mentioned operational parameters and environmental conditions. The results allow conclusions to be taken regarding the variability of total emissions under different conditions.