Beijing: The ports of Hong Kong and Tianjin have some of the world’s highest levels of emissions from shipping, according to a new report by the International Transport Forum (ITF).
Most of CO2 emissions in ports from shipping are in Asia and Europe (58%), but this share is low compared to their share of port calls (70%), the ITF says in its new ‘Shipping Emissions in Ports’ report.
Singapore and Port Klang are also among the world’s most air-polluted ports, the report says.
Hong Kong and Tianjin have already taken steps to deal with air pollution. Tianjin has just launched a new shore power supply at its Pacific Terminal. The local port authority says the system could reduce CO2 emissions by up to 10,810 tonnes each year.
Hong Kong has implemented a voluntary cap on SOx emissions and now with a government-enforced one for ships at berth.
Local authorities in Hong Kong have been holding discussions to encourage neighbouring ports across the Pearl River delta to do the same, and possibly set up an emissions control area.
Most shipping emissions in ports (CH4, CO, CO2 and NOx) will grow fourfold up to 2050, the ITF report says. This would bring CO2-emissions from ships in ports to approximately 70m tonnes in 2050 and NOx-emissions up to 1.3m tonnes globally.
The ITF expects Asia and Africa to see the sharpest increases in emissions before 2050, due to strong port traffic growth and limited mitigation measures.
Shipping emissions from ports worldwide accounted for 18m tonnes of CO2 emissions, 0.4m tonnes of NOx, 0.2m of SOx and 0.03m tonnes of PM10 in 2011, according to ITF data. Around 85% of emissions come from containerships and tankers. [8/12/14]
RELATED STORIES:
Shore power to hit the docks of Tianjin
Hong Kong chief calls for green transport
HK government official confident of Pearl River ECA
