ABSTRACT
Port air pollution is attributed to port vessel and vehicle emissions. Port water pollution is attributed to port vessel ballast disposal, vessel oil spillage, and vessel waste disposal as well as from anti-fouling paints on port vessels and the dredging of port waterways and berths. The environmental impact of a vessel oil spill will also depend on the speed of recovery and the type of the oil that is spilled. The speed of oil recovery is affected by the: type of oil spilled; climate and season of year; and physical and biological characteristics of the area. In addition to vessels, port vehicles – trucks, cargo-handling equipment and railroad locomotives – are also air polluters. Trucks, cargo-handling equipment and railroad locomotives account for 40%, 23% and 4% of the nitrogen oxide emissions at ports, respectively, in comparison to 32% for oceangoing vessels.
