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An extended suspect screening approach for the comprehensive chemical characterization of scrubber discharge waters from exhaust gas cleaning systems (EGCSs), used to reduce atmospheric shipping emissions of sulphur oxides, was developed. The suspect screening was based on gas chromatography coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry (GC-HRMS) and focused on the identification of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and their alkylated derivatives (alkyl-PAHs), which are among the most frequent and potentially toxic organic contaminants detected in these matrices. Although alkyl-PAHs can be even more abundant than parent compounds, information regarding their occurrence in scrubber waters is scarce. For compound identification, an in-house compound database was built, with 26 suspect groups, including 25 parent PAHs and 23 alkyl-PAH homologues. With this approach, 7 PAHs and 12 clusters of alkyl-PAHs were tentatively identified, whose occurrence was finally confirmed by target analysis using GC coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS). Finally, a retrospective analysis was performed to identify other relevant (poly)cyclic aromatic compounds (PACs) of potential concern in scrubber waters. According to it, 18 suspect groups were tentatively identified, including biphenyls, dibenzofurans, dibenzothiophenes and oxygenated PAHs derivatives. All these compounds could be used as relevant markers of scrubber water contamination in heavy traffic marine areas and be considered as potential stressors when evaluating scrubber water toxicity.

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Tropospheric ozone (O3) is a secondary air pollutant that affects human health, vegetation and climate, especially in Mediterranean countries such as Spain. In order to tackle this long-standing issue, the Spanish government recently started to design the Spanish O3 Mitigation Plan. To support this initiative and ultimately provide recommendations, we performed a first ambitious emission and air quality modeling exercise. This study presents the development of different emission scenarios - aligned with or beyond the measures planned for 2030 in Spain - and the modeling of their respective impact on the O3 pollution across Spain (in July 2019) with both MONARCH and WRF-CMAQ air quality models. The modeling experiments include a base case scenario, a so-called planned emission (PE) scenario integrating the expected emission changes related to 2030, and a set of specific emission scenarios in which additional emission changes are applied to specific sectors (on e.g., road transport, maritime traffic) on top of the PE scenario. The planned emission scenario considerably reduces daily 8-h maximum O3 concentrations (-4 µg/m3 on average), with strongest reductions in Madrid region, north of Catalonia, Valencia region, Galicia and Andalusia. The frequency of observed daily exceedances of the 120 µg/m3 daily 8-h maximum target value and 180 µg/m3 hourly information threshold could be reduced by -37 and -77 %, respectively. The results of the specific scenarios highlight road transport and maritime traffic as two key emission sectors contributing to O3 pollution, over the entire country and the Mediterranean coast, respectively, while solvent use and industry emissions have a more limited and localized impact on O3. In any case, even with the implementation of all the emission scenarios, daily exceedances of the aforementioned thresholds will still be recorded over the country.

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The impact of fuel consumption on merchant ships is categorized in both economic and environmental ways in terms of sustainable blue growth. Apart from the economic benefits of reducing fuel consumption, attention should be paid to related environmental concerns with ship fuels. As a result of global regulations and agreements concerning mitigating greenhouse gases on board, such as the International Maritime Organization and Paris Agreement, ships have to take a step to reduce fuel consumption to adopt these regulations. The present study aims to determine optimal speed diversity depending on ships' cargo amounts and wind-sea states to reduce fuel consumption. Within this context, one-year voyage data from two model sister Ro-Ro cargo ships were used, including daily ship speed, daily fuel consumption, ballast water consumption, total ship cargo consumption, sea state, and wind state. The genetic algorithm method was used to determine the optimal diversity rate. In conclusion, after speed optimization, optimum speed result values are calculated between 16.59 and 17.29 knots; thus, approximately 18% of exhaust gas emissions were also reduced.

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The emissions from maritime transportation, both greenhouse gases and traditional pollutants, are harmful to the ecosystem and human health. The large quantities of these pollutants emitted by shipping in the Strait of Gibraltar could be reduced if the Strait was declared an Emission Control Area (ECA). Using the SENEM1 emissions model, this study aims to compare the current situation and a possible future situation as an ECA. Unlike other models, SENEM1 includes all the variables - both ship and external conditions - that influence the calculation of emissions. Comparing only the 2017 emissions from ships sailing in the Strait of Gibraltar with the designated ECA simulation, reductions of up to 75.8 % in NOx, 73.4 % in PM2.5 and 94 % in SOx were collected. It would be a wakeup call for the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the governments responsible to recommend that the Strait of Gibraltar be designated an ECA zone.

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The Western Pacific Ocean (the WPO), as one of the busiest shipping areas in the world, holds a complex water traffic network. In 2020, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) low-sulfur fuel regulations were implemented globally, while the COVID-19 outbreak influenced shipping activities together. This study aimed to assess the combined impact of epidemics and low-sulfur fuel policies on ship emissions, as well as their environmental effects on the WPO. The ship emission model based on the Automatic Identification System (AIS) data was applied to analyze the monthly emission variations during 2018-2020. It was found that the epidemic had obvious diverse influences on the coastal ports in the WPO. Overall, shipping emissions declined by 15 %-30 % in the first half of 2020 compared with those in 2019 due to the COVID-19 lockdown, whereas they rebounded in the second half as a result of trade recovery. The pollutants discharged per unit of cargo by ships rose after the large-range lockdown. China's multiphase domestic emission control areas (DECAs) and the IMO global low-sulfur fuel regulation have greatly reduced SO2 emissions from ships and caused them to "bypass and come back" to save fuel costs around emission control areas from 2018 to 2020. Based on satellite data and land-based measurements, it was found that the air quality over sea water and coastal cities has shown a positive response to changes in ship-emitted NOx and SO2. Our results reveal that changes in shipping emissions during typical periods, depending on their niches in the complex port traffic network, call for further efforts for cleaner fuel oils, optimized ECA and ship lane coordination in the future. Shipping related air pollutions during the later economic recovery also needs to be addressed after international scale standing-by events.

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Promoting energetic and environmental sustainability in the naval sector requires a necessary understanding of the energy demand of vessels and of the factors affecting it. This article shows the results of a study conducted by the shipping company MedMar aimed at acquiring a detailed analysis of the energetic performances of its fleet. The study involved the analysis of fuel consumption and emissions of the fleet using a specific software and under different scenarios, assuming the navigation speed and the cargo level of the vessels as reference parameters. Simulations also provided a comparison, concerning emissions and externalities, between ships and two different means of transport. The purpose of this study was to identify potential areas of improvement, where ad hoc strategies could be used to further optimise the energetic and environmental performance of MedMar fleet and mitigate its impact on the delicate ecosystem of the gulf of Naples, where the fleet sails. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12053-022-10064-7.

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Transportation has the highest dependence on fossil fuels of any sector and accounts for 37% of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Maritime transportation is responsible for around 940 million tons of CO2 and approximately 3% of global emissions annually. The significant increase in shipping activities around the globe has magnified the generation of toxic pollutants. In recent years, shipping emissions have received significant attention in developed countries due to global climate change, while in developing countries, researchers are making enormous efforts to tackle this catastrophic and pressing issue. This study considers Muhammad Bin Qasim Port (MBQP), Karachi, Pakistan as a case study. This study employed an activity-based or bottom-up approach with a standard procedure to estimate the various anthropogenic pollutants emissions including particular matters (PM10 and PM2.5), nitrogen oxide (NOx), sulfur dioxide (SO2), carbon monoxide (CO), CO2, methane (CH4), non-methane volatile organic compound (NMVOC), and hydrocarbon (HC) under different operational modes, i.e., hoteling, maneuvering, and reduced speed zones. The results indicated that CO2 was the highest contributor with a proportion of 92%, NOx 5%, and SO2 1.5% for all three operational modes. Moreover, the results indicated that container ships account for 64% of overall emissions, followed by tankers for 24%. Regarding the monthly trend, the findings revealed that November and December had the highest emission rates, with over 20% of the total emissions recorded. This study's findings will assist stakeholders and policymakers to prioritize maritime emissions in developing countries.

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In order to explore the pollution characteristics and potential sources of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the polluted air of a port area, PM2.5 samples (n=59) were collected from Qingdao Port for four seasons from August 2018 to May 2019. The seasonal variation and composition characteristics of PM2.5-bound PAHs were analyzed, the influence of meteorological factors on PAH concentrations was explored using correlation analysis, and the potential sources were analyzed using positive definite matrix factorization and potential source contribution function models. The results showed that the total mean concentration of PAHs was (8.11±12.31) ng·m-3, which was higher in autumn and winter than that in spring and summer. The seasonal molecular compositions of PAHs were similar, dominated by 4-5 ring PAHs (75.43%). Fluoranthene, benzo[e]pyrene, benzo[a]anthracene, phenanthrene, pyrene, and chrysene were the dominant species of PAHs in the study area, which are similar to the major compounds in ship exhaust. Correlation analysis showed that PAH concentrations were significantly negatively correlated with temperature and relative humidity and significantly positively correlated with atmospheric pressure and wind direction and had a poor correlation with wind speed. PMF analysis extracted six contribution factors, and the results indicated that Qingdao Port was mainly influenced by shipping emissions (28.83%), followed by vehicle emissions (20.49%), as well as crude oil volatilization (13.47%). Summer had the greatest impact on shipping emissions. The PSCF results suggested that Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei, Bohai Rim, and northern Shandong were the main source regions for long-range transport.

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A chemical characterization of PM10 collected at hydrofoil exhaust stacks was performed conducting two on-board measuring campaigns, with the aim of assessing the ship emission impact on PM10 collected in the coastal area of Naples (Southern Italy) and providing information about the characteristics of this important PM emission source.Samples were analysed determining the contribution of different chemical parameters to PM10's mass, which consisted of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) (0.10 ± 0.12%), total carbon (61.9% ± 20.0%, with 40.4% of organic carbon, OC, and 21.5% of elemental carbon, EC) and elemental fraction (0.44% ± 1.00%). Differences in terms of composition and chemical parameter profiles were observed between samples collected during offshore navigation (Off) and samples collected during shunting operations (SO), the latter of higher concern on a local scale. For SO samples, lower contributions of OC and EC were observed (39.7% and 19.6% respectively) compared to Off samples (41.5% and 24.2%), and an increase in terms of elements (from 0.32 to 0.51%) and PAHs (from 0.06 to 0.12%) concentrations was observed. In addition, enrichment factors (EFs) for some elements such as V, Zn, Cd, Cu, Ag and Hg as well as PAHs profile varied significantly between SO and Off. Data presented here were compared with data on chemical composition of PM10 sampled in a tunnel, in a background site and in an urban site in the city of Naples. Results indicated that shipping activities contributed significantly to the emission of V and, in some extent, Zn and Cd; in addition, PAH profiles indicated a greater contribution to urban PM10 from vehicular traffic than shipping emissions. These results can significantly contribute to the correct evaluation of the influence of shipping emission on PM10 generation in urban coastal areas and can be a useful reference for similar studies. The coastal area of Naples is an important example of the coexistence of residential, touristic and natural areas with pollutants emission sources including, among the others, shipping emissions. In this and similar contexts, it is important to distinguish the contribution of each emission source to clearly define environmental control policies.

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Air pollution is the leading cause of the global burden of disease from the environment, entailing substantial economic consequences. International shipping is a significant source of NOx, SO2, CO and PM, which can cause known negative health impacts. Thus, this study aimed to estimate the health impacts and the associated external costs of ship-related air pollution in the Iberian Peninsula for 2015. Moreover, the impact of CAP2020 regulations on 2015 emissions was studied. Log-linear functions based on WHO-HRAPIE relative risks for PM2.5 and NO2 all-cause mortality and morbidity health end-points, and integrated exposure-response functions for PM2.5 cause-specific mortality, were used to calculate the excess burden of disease. The number of deaths and years of life lost (YLL) due to NO2 ship-related emissions was similar to those of PM2.5 ship-related emissions. Estimated all-cause premature deaths attributable to PM2.5 ship-related emissions represented an average increase of 7.7% for the Iberian Peninsula when compared to the scenario without shipping contribution. Costs of around 9 100 million € yr-1 (for value of statistical life approach - VSL) and 1 825 million € yr-1 (for value of life year approach - VOLY) were estimated for PM and NO2 all-cause burden of disease. For PM2.5 cause-specific mortality, a cost of around 3 475 million € yr-1 (for VSL approach) and 851 million € yr-1 (for VOLY approach) were estimated. Costs due to PM and NO2 all-cause burden represented around 0.72% and 0.15% of the Iberian Peninsula gross domestic product in 2015, respectively for VSL and VOLY approaches. For PM2.5 cause-specific mortality, costs represented around 0.28% and 0.06%, respectively, for VSL and VOLY approaches. If CAP2020 regulations had been applied in 2015, around 50% and 30% respectively of PM2.5 and NO2 ship-related mortality would been avoided. These results show that air pollution from ships has a considerable impact on health and associated costs affecting the Iberian Peninsula.

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Large marine vessels have historically used high-sulphur (S) residual fuel oil (RFO), with substantial airborne releases of sulphur dioxide (SO2) and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) enriched in vanadium (V), nickel (Ni) and other air pollutants. To address marine shipping air pollution, Canada and the United States have jointly implemented a North American Emissions Control Area (NA ECA) within which ships are regulated to use lower-sulphur marine fuel or equivalent SO2 scrubbers (i.e., 3.5% maximum fuel S reduced to 1% S in 2012 and 0.1% S in 2015). To investigate the effects of these regulations on local air quality, we examined changes in air pollutant (SO2, PM2.5, NO2, O3), and related PM2.5 components (V, Ni, sulphate) concentrations over 2010-2016 at the Canadian port cities of Halifax, Vancouver, Victoria, Montreal, and Quebec City. SO2 concentrations showed large statistically significant decreases at all sites (-28% to -83% mean hourly change), with the largest improvements in the coastal cities when the 0.1% fuel S regulation took effect. Statistically significant PM2.5 but smaller fractional reductions were also observed (-7% to -37% mean hourly change), reflecting the importance of non-marine PM sources. RFO marker species V and Ni in PM2.5 dramatically declined following regulation implementation, consistent with decreased RFO use likely indicating the switch to low-S distillate fuel oil rather than exhaust scrubbers for initial compliance. Significant changes in other pollutants with non-marine sources (NO2, O3) were not contemporaneous with the regulatory timeline. The large SO2 improvements in the port cities have reduced 1-h concentrations to <30 ppb, comparable to Canadian urban locations with few local SO2 sources and likely reducing health risks to susceptible populations such as asthmatics and the elderly. Our findings indicate that the implementation of the NA ECA improved air quality at Canadian port cities immediately following the requirement for lower-S fuel. These air quality improvements suggest that large-scale international benefits can result from implementation of the 2020 global low-S marine fuel regulations.

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The energy output and emissions from maritime transport have increased considerably over the last two decades. Countries in Europe, North America and Asia use different methodologies to calculate these important variables; two of the main methods used are known as the Ship Traffic Emission Assessment Model (STEAM) and the Ship Traffic, Energy and Environmental Model (STEEM). Furthermore, the International Maritime Organization has recently required additional parameters to be included in the calculation, but the procedure for calculating these is not defined. In this paper, a model named SENEM (Ship's ENergy Efficiency Model) is proposed to calculate the power delivered in real time by the main engine taking into account all the equations required for defining and calculating all these parameters together with the efficiency of both the shaft and propulsion system. This model has been tested and validated on board four Ro-Pax ships operating across the Strait of Gibraltar - three vessels powered by waterjet and the fourth by propeller. The results show differences of up to 40% compared with other models.

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Field measurements were conducted near Qingdao Port to characterize the particulate air pollutants, assess the spatial and seasonal characteristics of the pollutants, and identify the contribution from ship traffic emissions. By utilizing multiple statistical methods and data collected at two sites in Qingdao, we comprehensively explored the PM2.5 seasonal characteristics and source apportionments of different PM2.5 constituents, especially those originating from ship emissions, and identified potential source regions for samples collected in Qingdao. In this study, 118 concurrent daily PM2.5 samples were collected from August 2018 to May 2019 at a port site (QH) and a coastal background site (BG). Vanadium (V) and Nickel (Ni) are the dominant metal elements from crude oil and crude oil combustion emissions. The significant correlations between V and Ni at both sampling sites, indicating that shipping emissions have a significant impact on the port and background area. Additionally, Ni and other metals showed significant correlations at the BG site, implying Ni also emission from the land-based oil at this site. The positive matrix factorization (PMF) model identified six main sources for the PM2.5 samples in Qingdao, and they are coal combustion, industrial emissions/mineral dust, marine vessel emissions, secondary aerosols/biomass burning, sea salt/crustal emissions, and vehicle exhaust, respectively. Marine vessel emissions were the dominant contributor to PM2.5 in Qingdao during the sampling periods (25.05%). The potential source contribution function (PSCF) analysis suggested that the Yellow Sea and Jiaodong Peninsula were the major sources regions for PM2.5 in Qingdao. The Yellow Sea and Bohai Sea were the potential source regions for shipping emissions in Qingdao. Therefore, efforts to control shipping emissions should be strengthened not only at the Qingdao Port but also in surrounding ports.

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Marine traffic in harbors can be responsible for significant atmospheric concentrations of ultrafine particles (UFPs), which have widely recognized negative effects on human health. It is therefore essential to model and measure the time evolution of the number size distributions and chemical composition of UFPs in ship exhaust to assess the resulting exposure in the vicinity of shipping routes. In this study, a sequential modelling chain was developed and applied, in combination with the data measured and collected in major harbor areas in the cities of Helsinki and Turku in Finland, during winter and summer in 2010-2011. The models described ship emissions, atmospheric dispersion, and aerosol dynamics, complemented with a time-microenvironment-activity model to estimate the short-term UFP exposure. We estimated the dilution ratio during the initial fast expansion of the exhaust plume to be approximately equal to eight. This dispersion regime resulted in a fully formed nucleation mode (denoted as Nuc2). Different selected modelling assumptions about the chemical composition of Nuc2 did not have an effect on the formation of nucleation mode particles. Aerosol model simulations of the dispersing ship plume also revealed a partially formed nucleation mode (Nuc1; peaking at 1.5 nm), consisting of freshly nucleated sulfate particles and condensed organics that were produced within the first few seconds. However, subsequent growth of the new particles was limited, due to efficient scavenging by the larger particles originating from the ship exhaust. The transport of UFPs downwind of the ship track increased the hourly mean UFP concentrations in the neighboring residential areas by a factor of two or more up to a distance of 3600 m, compared with the corresponding UFP concentrations in the urban background. The substantially increased UFP concentrations due to ship traffic significantly affected the daily mean exposures in residential areas located in the vicinity of the harbors.

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Spatial saturation studies using source-specific chemical tracers are commonly used to examine intra-urban variation in exposures and source impacts, for epidemiology and policy purposes. Most such studies, however, has been performed in North America and Europe, with substantial regional combustion-source contributions. In contrast, Auckland, New Zealand, a large western city, is relatively isolated in the south Pacific, with minimal impact from long-range combustion sources. However, fluctuating wind patterns, complex terrain, and an adjacent major port complicate pollution patterns within the central business district (CBD). We monitored multiple pollutants (fine particulate matter (PM2.5), black carbon (BC), elemental composition, organic diesel tracers (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), hopanes, steranes), and nitrogen dioxide (NO2)) at 12 sites across the ~5 km2 CBD during autumn 2014, to capture spatial variation in traffic, diesel, and proximity to the port. PM2.5 concentrations varied 2.5-fold and NO2 concentrations 2.9-fold across the CBD, though constituents varied more dramatically. The highest-concentration constituent was sodium (Na), a distinct non-combustion-related tracer for sea salt (µ = 197.8 ng/m3 (SD = 163.1 ng/m3)). BC, often used as a diesel-emissions tracer, varied more than five-fold across sites. Vanadium (V), higher near the ports, varied more than 40-fold across sites. Concentrations of most combustion-related constituents were higher near heavy traffic, truck, or bus activity, and near the port. Wind speed modified absolute concentrations, and wind direction modified spatial patterns in concentrations (i.e., ports impacts were more notable with winds from the northeast).

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Maritime sector is expected to continue growing significantly in line with world trade, however its impacts on environmental, social and human health are not yet fully known. Thus, this study aimed to estimate the external costs of in-port shipping emissions (NOx, SO2, CO2, VOCs and PM2.5) and accomplish a comprehensive eco-efficiency evaluation of four ports in Portugal (Leixões, Setúbal, Sines and Viana do Castelo) during 2013. External costs were based on the external cost factors from BeTa, CAFE and NEEDS projects and from Song (2014). Eco-efficiency evaluation was based on environmental, social and economic criteria. Results showed higher externalities for Sines and Setúbal (2.0E+02 million €), followed by Leixões (1.8E+02 million €), and Viana do Castelo (6.3 million €). NOx, SO2, and PM2.5 were the pollutants with the highest externalities. Sines port showed the best overall eco-efficiency. Although Setúbal port showed higher performance than Viana do Castelo port based on the economic data, when social and environmental aspects were considered the results changed. This shows the importance of performing a more comprehensive analysis using social and environmental indicators. The combination of all these indicators is highly important to support the implementation of policies for the abatement of shipping in-port emissions.

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With the aim of more reliably measuring ships' fuel consumption and emissions several different estimation methods have been put forward and are in use but there is ongoing debate still on the best way to measure maritime emissions. Fuel and emissions monitoring are already a common practice in the shipping industry. But there are currently neither harmonised guidelines nor legal requirements that clearly define the method and the rules to follow to monitor on-board fuel consumption for each situation during navigation. In this context, this article describes and compares four existing methods (EPA, IMO, Jalkanen and MAN) for calculating energy consumption and emissions, and presents a more realistic method, based on a case study. The purpose is to examine the differences between all of these methods, in order to propose the most suitable method of obtaining the data needed for better energy management, and a method that can be applied to any type of ship. The case study was carried out on Ro-Pax ships, comparing these four different methods through the application of a bottom-up integrated system approach. The study describes in detail and applies the most complete methodology for calculating energy consumption and emissions during cruising, operating in a Speed Reduction Zone (SRZ), manoeuvring and berthing. Application of the new improved method proposed in this paper could be the first step in implementing operational measures for detecting both abnormal high emissions and abnormal fuel consumption. The application of this method does not, in itself, reduce fuel use or improve efficiency, but it should be the necessary first step to establish uniform operational measures that will improve the management of energy on board ship and monitor accurately the performance of the fleet.

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Marine trade has significantly expanded over the past decades aiding to the economic development of the maritime countries, yet, this has been associated with a considerable increase in pollution emission from shipping operation. This study aims at considering both sides of the spectrum at the same time, which is including both public and shipping business. Of the key significance would be to optimize the operation of the shipping industry, such that its impact on air pollution is minimized, without, however, significant escalation of its cost, and therefore to protect the whole seaborne trade. To do this, we considered the impacts of three control strategies, including the current emission control area (ECA) design, as well two additional ones. Thus the first scenario (DECA1) was based on the China's domestic emission control area (DECA), which was set up in 2016. The DECA1 scale was only 12 nautical miles, which was much smaller than the emission control areas in US or Europe. We defined the second scenario (DECA2), by stretching the zone to 200 nautical miles towards the ocean, modeling it on the ECA in North America. The third scenario (DECA3), on the other hand, expanded the 12 nautical miles control zone along the whole coastline. To investigate the impact of shipping emissions on air quality, a shipping emission calculation model and an air quality simulation model were used, and Pearl River Delta (PRD), China was chosen to serve as a case study. The study demonstrated that in 2013 marine shipping emissions contributed on average 0.33 and 0.60µg·m-3, respectively to the land SO2 and PM2.5 concentrations in the PRD, and that the concentrations were high along the coastline. The DECA1 policy could effectively reduce SO2 and PM2.5 concentrations in the port regions, and the average reduction in the land area were 9.54% and 2.7%, respectively. Compared with DECA1, DECA2 would not measurably improve the air quality, while DECA3 would effectively decrease the pollution in the entire coast area. Thus, instead of expanding emission control area far to the ocean, it is more effective to control emissions along the coastline to secure the best air quality and lower the health impacts. By doing this, 19 million dollars of fuel cost could be saved per year. The saved cost could help the ship owners to endure, considering the current low profits of the seaborne trade, and thus to protect the overall growth of the economy.

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Shipping emissions control is critical to air quality management and improved public health for coastal port cities and regions with heavy marine traffic. However, Asian port cities have been slow in introducing regulations on marine fuels for two main reasons - firstly, due to a lack of information and therefore appreciation on the air quality and public health benefits that could be derived; and secondly, due to sensitivity as to whether there may be negative impacts on port competitiveness and trade opposition. Hong Kong, one of the top-ten international container ports in the world, has been proactive in reducing shipping emissions in the past decade. The Ocean Going Vessels Fuel at Berth regulation, enforced since July 2015 in Hong Kong, is the first marine fuel control regulation for ocean going vessels in Asia. This regulation has been adopted nationally by China for its coastal ports, followed by the establishment of domestic emission control areas in its coastal waters that will come into force in 2019. This paper describes the decade-long journey where scientific research led to evidence-based policy changes. New insights and understanding arising from the research enabled cross-sectoral engagement and dialogue among the key stakeholders in government, industry and civil society, which resulted in the political consensus needed for a change in policy and legislation. Similar evidence-based policy formulation, together with public-private sectors dialogue could be useful to other jurisdictions in pursuing a "win-win" path to improve environmental protection and public health through regulating shipping emissions. The same combination of science-to-engagement-to-policy approach could also become part of a knowledge-and-consensus-building process for other environmental policy areas as well.

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China established Domestic Emission Control Area (DECA) for sulphur since 2015 to constrain the increasing shipping emissions. However, future DECA policy-makings are not supported due to a lack of quantitive evaluations. To investigate the effects of current and possible Chinese DECAs policies, a model is presented for the forecast of shipping emissions and evaluation of potential costs and benefits of an DECA policy package set in 2020. It includes a port-level and regional-level projection accounting for shipping trade volume growth, share of ship types, and fuel consumption. The results show that without control measures, both SO2 and particulate matter (PM) emissions are expected to increase by 15.3-61.2% in Jing-Jin-Ji, the Yangtze River Delta, and the Pearl River Delta from 2013 to 2020. However, most emissions can be reduced annually by the establishment of a DECA that depends on the size of the control area and the fuel sulphur content limit. Costs range from 0.667 to 1.561 billion dollars (control regional shipping emissions) based on current fuel price. A social cost method shows the regional control scenarios benefit-cost ratios vary from 4.3 to 5.1 with large uncertainty. Chemical transportation model combined with health model method is used to get the monetary health benefits and then compared with the results from social cost method. This study suggests that Chinese DECAs will reduce the projected emissions at a favorable benefit-cost ratio, and furthermore proposes policy combinations that provide high cost-effective benefits as a reference for future policy-making.

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