The European Environment Agency (EEA) and the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) have detailed the impact of European shipping on air pollution in a joint assessment published on Monday 3 February.
Maritime transport accounts for 14.2% of CO2 emissions from European transport, according to the report (see EUROPE 13526/31). These emissions have risen steadily since 2015, reaching 137.5 million tonnes in 2022.
The specifics of the findings are mixed. Sulphur oxide (SOx) emissions have fallen by 70% since 2014, thanks to the ‘Sulphur Emission Control Areas’ (SECAs) in Northern Europe set up by the International Maritime Organization (IMO). However, nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions have increased by an average of 10% between 2015 and 2023. At the same time, methane (CH4) emissions have at least doubled between 2018 and 2023, accounting for 26% of all the methane released by European transport in 2022.
“The Mediterranean SECA, set to take effect on 1 May 2025, is expected to replicate the decrease of SOx in Northern Europe”, the study finds. On the other hand, regulation in the North Sea and the Baltic Sea is ineffective when it comes to nitrogen oxides.
Maritime transport also affects biodiversity and marine pollution in the EU: in 2022, 27% of the seabed near European coasts was affected by activities linked to the sector.
Finally, the authors highlight the 40% increase in discharges of domestic wastewater between 2014 and 2023, mainly due to the growth in cruise ship activity.
To read the report, go to https://aeur.eu/f/fdc (Original version in French by Justine Manaud, intern)