Air Pollution Reduction Strategies of World Major Ports

Pollution emissions from international shipping and port activities have a significant impact on public health and global climate changes. The purpose of this paper is to review the status of pollution mitigation measures implemented to date in port industry and find out some implications for Korean ports. For this aim, the clean air strategies of the world major ports including six USA ports (Los Angeles/Long Beach, Now York/New Jersey, and Seattle and Tacoma), two European ports (Rotterdam and Gothenburg) and Busan Port were considered. Various measures to reduce emission from ports are evaluated by sectors-ocean going vessels, cargo handling equipments, truck and rail-, on the basis of categories such as reduction control technologies, operational changes and market-based measures. The policy implications of this paper are as follows. First, Clean Air Act Plans of Korean ports are required as soon as possible. Second, integrated approach is required to reduce emission effectively. Finally, the effect of port-related emission reduction can be maximized when various measures are conducted on a regional basis including neighboring ports. Furthermore, regional or global-based approach is useful to guarantee the level playing field among ports.