3,700 produced 30 times more SOx emissions than all 1 million cars registered to the same local authority areas as the por
1.75 times as much NOx came from ships than cars
For immediate release
Top ten ports suffering from the worst ship pollution in the UK revealed in new analysis
Milford Haven, Southampton and Immingham top three lists for emissions of harmful sulphur oxides (SOx), nitrogen oxides (NOx) and fine particulate matter (PM2.5).
New analysis by Transport & Environment UK (T&E UK) of the pollution produced by ships in UK ports has found that three ports consistently rank as the worst for emissions of harmful sulphur oxides (SOx), nitrogen oxides (NOx) and fine particulate matter (PM2.5).
The analysis reveals how ships are discharging huge quantities of health-damaging air pollution right into the heart of ports and port towns across the country.
In the ten most SOx polluted ports, just 3,700 ships produced 30 times more SOx emissions than all 1 million cars registered to the same local authority areas as the ports. Milford Haven is the worst, where just 472 visiting ships in 2022 produced nearly 100 times more SOx than all of Pembrokeshire’s 67,000 cars. Due to the huge vessels calling there, Milford Haven saw only half the traffic of Immingham, which ranks second, but 50% more SOx emissions. Third place Southampton saw 46 cruise ships - just 6% of vessels stopping there - produce more SOx than 200 containerships.
In the top ten NOx polluted ports, ships produced nearly 1.75 times as much NOx as the 970,000 cars registered to the same areas. Southampton topped this ranking with ships producing four times more than all of the city’s cars. Half of these emissions came from cruise ships alone. In the top-10 PM2.5 polluted ports vessels produced half as much as a million cars registered in the same areas. As with NOx, Southampton was also first for PM2.5, with cruise ships responsible for more than half the PM2.5.
As well as poisonous exhaust fumes, ships also produce pollutant-laden wash water that results from exhaust gas cleaning systems (“scrubbers”). Wash water is discharged directly into the sea, adversely impacting marine life and adding to ocean pollution - of which the UK is already seeing record levels. Only a handful of UK ports prohibit the practice.
The rankings were produced after T&E UK analysed SOx, NOx and PM2.5 emissions from commercial passenger and cargo ships stopping at UK ports in 2022. Vessels mooring within a 1.5 nautical mile radius of a port’s main coordinates were included. Energy consumption and emissions for the vessels were then calculated. Emissions were compared to pollution from cars registered to the same local authority as the ports, according to Vehicle Licensing Statistics Data from the Department for Transport and Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency.
T&E UK are calling on the Government to implement long-overdue policy and regulations to finally get to grips with the combined and increasingly urgent issues of air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions from UK shipping. The government has an opportunity to so in its forthcoming refreshed Clean Maritime Plan which it must not waste.
Essential measures include mandating zero emission berths and creating a shore side electricity plan in UK ports; charging ships calling at UK ports for their emissions whilst moored, effectively creating maritime “clean air zones”; and designating all UK territorial waters as Emission Control Areas, while prohibiting all scrubber wash water discharge in UK territorial waters.
Jonathan Hood, UK Sustainable Shipping Manager at Transport & Environment, said:
“The awful levels of pollution revealed in this analysis demonstrate how the UK’s port cities are being choked by the harmful fumes caused by a shipping industry that, thanks to years of government inaction, has no impetus to change. The government has its last chance to chart a better course for the industry with the updated Clean Maritime Plan and it must not waste this opportunity. We need to see a rapid switch away from filthy fossil fuels, and ports must set binding targets to implement zero-emission technologies. These must include shore side electricity, which would ensure ships can plug in at port and switch off their polluting engines.”
The Rt Hon. the Lord Deben, the former Chairman of the UK Government's Climate Change Committee, said:
“It is disheartening to see the staggering levels of emissions from ships around UK ports, as revealed by T&E’s new analysis. There is an urgent need for stringent action from the government by prioritising stricter emissions control measures around UK territorial waters, increasing the use of shore-side electricity across ports, and prohibiting the discharge of dirty scrubber water into waterways. Without decisive action, the health impacts for residents and workers in port towns, not to mention economic costs, will continue to soar, leaving communities to suffer the dire consequences of inaction.”
ENDS
Notes to editors:
If you would like to speak to a spokesperson or have any questions, please contact Alexander Killeen via alexander.killeen@transportenvironment.org or on 07806431577.
Transport & Environment UK is the UK national office of clean transport NGO Transport & Environment whose aim is to achieve a zero-emission mobility system that is affordable and has minimal impacts on our health, climate and environment and is accessible to all.
