Shipping and Sea Pollution : Addressing Environmental Concerns

The first and most important one is that ships are the cheapest. Transportation by aeroplanes is the most expensive, followed by Road and Rail. There are many different reasons which make shipping so cheap, the first factor is the ‘Scale of Shipping Operations’. Ships can carry a huge volume of load with a small crew which leads to cost-cutting.

The second reason for water transportation being cheaper is that it is ‘Energy Efficient’. Most of the ‘Cargo Ships’ use ‘Bunker Oil’ which is a very cheap fuel choice and only one step above ‘Asphalt’(Bitumen) which is a semi-solid form of petroleum. When the ship achieves the cruising speed it takes very little energy and generally maintains the speed for the rest of the journey. The ship travels mostly in the straight lines which helps in shortening the distance of the trip. The third reason for shipping being the cheaper form of transportation is the reason that the movement of a ship does not require any sort of fixed assets such as roads or rail which reduces the cost.

Therefore, the shipping industry can be considered as a key factor for the interconnection of the global supply chain and the smooth flow of global goods. Around, 50,000 of the merchant ships trading across the seas are responsible for carrying around 90% of the world trade. According to the International Chamber of Shipping, “The intercontinental chain, the bulk transport of raw materials, the import or export of affordable food and manufactured goods would not be possible”. The use of containers in shipping is the most ‘Carbon Efficient’ means of transporting goods across the globe. ‘Containerisation’ has revolutionised the movement of goods and increased efficiency of moving goods and has produced economic benefits. [1] With the numerous economic benefits, the shipping industry is the most relied mode of transportation which is used for the transportation of goods across the world.

Environmental Impacts of the Shipping Industry

Emissions

The shipping industry contributes greatly to the CO₂ (Carbon Dioxide) emissions. According to the Fourth IMO GHG Study, “Shipping emitted around 1000 metric tonnes of CO2 per year, which is 2.89% of the annual global CO2 emissions”.[2] Apart from the CO2 emission, the shipping industry is hastening the process of ‘Climate Change’ through the ‘Black Carbon’ emission which is emitted due to the combustion of marine fuel. The marine fuel, majorly the ‘Bunker Oil’ emits a huge amount of black carbon particles. Research from US academic has shown that “pollution from the world's 90,000 cargo ships leads to 60,000 deaths a year and costs up to $330bn per year in health costs from lung and heart diseases”.[3]

Apart from Carbon Dioxide, various other ‘Greenhouse Gases’ including Sulphur Oxides (SOx), Nitrogen Oxides (NOx), Particulate Matter are the common by-products of combustion associated with the fuel and engine used on ships. The release of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) also takes place from the transportation and loading-unloading of the petroleum products.

In the presence of sunlight, the oxides of nitrogen react with the volatile organic compounds such as vaporized hydrocarbons to produce the ozone at the ground level. The oxides of Nitrogen and Sulphur also reacts with Hydrogen and Oxygen to form Nitric Acid and Sulphuric Acid respectively which in turn leads to ‘Acid Rain’.

Ballast Water

Apart from the problems related to atmospheric emissions, other issues such as the effect of ‘Ballast Water’ on Marine Ecology. Ballast water is used for maintaining the safe conditions for the voyage. The Ballast water provides the stability, reduces the stress on the hull, and improves propulsion. The Ballast tanks present onto the ship takes up the water including the sediments and marine organisms from the source point. When the ship reaches the destination point and the loading of cargo takes place, the ballast water is then released from the tank into an alien environment. This exchange of water from one point to another point leads to the immense disturbance to the marine ecology. Many predatory species often enter the alien waters thereby affecting the local marine organisms which leads to major ecological disruptions in an area. [4]

Source: International Maritime Organisation (Website)[5]

According to the available studies it is estimated that around 10 billion tons of ballast water are annually transferred by the shipping fleets. Other estimates indicate that around 7000 living species are carried away by the ballast water from one place to another. Some non-native species which are invasive in nature sometimes occupy the area by reproducing uncontrollably.

Noise Pollution

Aside from the marine and air pollution, other negative impacts by the shipping industry are ‘Noise Pollution’. As there is a constant increase in the level of exploration at sea and an increase in the ship traffic, the ambient level of noise in the marine environment is also increasing. There are various studies which show the negative impact on the communication between the ‘Marine Mammal Communication’, ‘Breathing’ and other general behaviour patterns including Reproduction.

Oil Spills

Oil spills affect marine ecology in a very negative way. They cause both the short-term and long-term effects on marine ecosystems. The flora and fauna which comes at direct contact with the spilt oils are the worst affected. If a fish comes in direct contact with the spilt oil, it causes a blockage in their gills. It also affects their respiratory and heart rates, fin erosion and reduced growth. Ultimately, this leads to their death. Moreover, indirect exposure to the oil can lead to bioaccumulation and later bio-magnification of the toxic constituents of the oil. Direct or indirect exposure to the spilt oil is harmful to the seabirds also. Sea-birds are at the risk of consumption of oil while preying on their food. This can damage their kidneys, lungs, liver and gastrointestinal system.[6] On 12th December 199, a tanker name Erika broke into two parts near the coast of Brittany.[7] As per the estimates between 80,000-150,000 seabirds died due to this accident. After coming in direct contact with the oil, the feathers of the birds get clogged with oil leading to the loss of the body insulation. This allows the water to reach the skin which can cause hypothermia and later, death. Moreover, it makes the feathers sticky which negatively affects the flight. The spilt oil creates a layer between the water surface and air. This halts the gas exchange and the limits the amount of solar radiation entering the water. This decreases the photosynthesis among the marine plants which eventually causes a decrease in their and other marine organisms’ populations.[8]

Shipbreaking Industry

Shipbreaking industry is associated with the major environmental health problem in the world. There are numerous problems associated with the shipbuilding industry starting from the ‘Work-related diseases’ to the huge number of fatalities, it is one of the jobs which is taking a toll on human as well as other forms of life.

There are around 90,000 vessels in the world, with the average life of ship being around 20-25 years, there is a huge number of ships which are scrapped every year. Majority of the employees working in shipbreaking industry are informal workers. These workers lack the training, basic facilities like protective equipment, safety controls and inspections. Most of the countries associated with the shipbreaking industries are developing countries like Pakistan, Bangladesh, Turkey, India and China, where cheap and unskilled is easily available. Also, in many of these countries, the environmental laws are not very stringent which allows the industry to flourish. [9] Three major shipbreaking sites across the world are ‘Gadani in Pakistan’, ‘Chattogram in Bangladesh’ and ‘Alang in India’ where around 80-90% of the ships are scrapped. [10]

The workers associated with the industry are exposed to toxic substances including carcinogens like mercury, lead, sulphuric acid, PVCs, PCBs, TBT etc. Some of these are also dumped into the coastal waters and soil which further leads to the deterioration of marine ecology. Even due to the environmental hazards, the shipbreaking industry is thriving in many developing countries as it provides job opportunity to the unskilled labour which is directly employed by this industry. For instance, at Alang, Gujarat itself 30,000 workers are being employed. Also, the industry can fulfil the demand for steel in these emerging economies. For example, 60% of the total demand for steel in Bangladesh is fulfilled by Shipbreaking industry itself. [11]

Other problems related to Shipping

Practices are prevailing in some countries wherein the old naval ships are dumped into the oceans. For instance, in 2005, “The US Ship America aircraft carrier was towed out to sea on her final voyage. Hundreds of miles off the Atlantic coast, U.S. Navy personnel then blasted the 40-year-old warship with missiles and bombs until it sank”. [12]

When these ships rest on the ocean floor, many harmful chemicals and toxic chemicals also get dumped with the ship. Such activities have also led to an increase in the level of PCBs which is harmful to the marine ecology. These activities then got the attention of various environmentalists which led to the increase in regulations over the same and the practice has been reduced now to a great extent.

How shipping industry is cleaning the fuel

In 2020, the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) took a landmark decision which has enforced a new regulation from 1 January 2020. According to this regulation, the marine sector emissions in international waters has been slashed. According to this regulation, the ships have to reduce the sulphur emissions by over 80% by switching to lower sulphur fuels. The maximum fuel oil sulphur limit before the regulation was 3.5 weight percent which has now been reduced to 0.5 weight percent. The regulation has been the largest reduction in sulphur content that has been undertaken at any time. [13]

One of the pillars of IMO is MARPOL i.e. Prevention of Marine Pollution in International Water. The ships use the lowest grade fuel i.e. ‘Bunker Fuel’ along with other refined products such as Marine Gas Oil (MGO), Diesel Oil, and Intermediate Fuel Oil etc. The IMO’s previous guidelines have also indicated the same. The first reduction from the IMO came into force in 2005 with 4.5% sulphur cap. Later, in the year 2012, it was further reduced to 3.5wt%. [14]

The reduction in sulphur content can be done achieved through multiple routes like fitting ‘Exhaust Gas Cleaning System’ which will treat the exhaust and reduce the SOx emission to the desirable limit value. Other methods can be the shift to the ‘Cleaner Compliant Fuel’ such as ‘Low Sulphur Fuel Oil’. Shifting to the ‘Alternate Fuels’ such as ‘Liquefied Natural Gas’, Methanol, Ethanol or Biofuel. Apart from the fuels, using ‘Shore Power’ when the ship is in port. Many shipping companies are working towards achieving ‘Zero Emissions’ in the coming decades. Maersk, which is the biggest container shipping company is the world has promised to achieve ‘Zero Emissions’ by 2050. [15]

The Hydrogen fuel cells are one the alternate which can be looked upon for achieving these targets. When we combine ‘Hydrogen’ and ‘Oxygen’, then the chemical reaction takes place which produces heat and water. When we split the reaction into two halves, an electrochemical cell can be set-up with two electrodes i.e. Anode and Cathode. An electrolyte is also added to the system, which allows hydrogen ions to flow freely. At one electrode, a molecule of hydrogen splits to produce two positively charged hydrogen ions (protons) along with two electrons. At the other end, the electrons and the hydrogen ions which recombines with oxygen to produce water. The steps are separated in space, the electrons have to travel through a wire to reach their destination. This movement creates an electrical current, which is used in the generation of power. The electrolyte can also take the form of a membrane that lets hydrogen though. This kind of fuel cell is called a proton exchange membrane fuel cell. These cells can be easily combined into large stacks and a fuel cell of huge capacity can also be made. [16]

This technology can be used in building a whole new fleet of the futuristic ships. The best part of using this technology is that the energy generation is entirely emission-free. This technology has the capability to boost trade relations and simultaneously allow our ecosystems to thrive. This can be a major step towards achieving the Paris Climate Goals and embarking on a path of sustainable development.

Way Forward

Though shipping connects the world with the largest monopoly over trade networks, it poses a serious threat to the marine ecosystem. Despite having environmental concerns, shipping has become an inseparable part of the supply chain and it has become almost impossible to replace it with other means of goods transportation. Now, it has become more important to improve engine efficiency and to follow other green practices in the shipping industry. To achieve concrete progress in this field, a joint effort of national policies and international laws are required. For this, multilateral organisations and forums can provide the required platform to bring together all the stakeholders. The famous quote of Francis Baycon aptly defines this situation:

“Nature, to be commanded, must be obeyed”

Notes

[1] “Shipping and World Trade: Driving Prosperity | International Chamber of Shipping.” n.d. Accessed February 18, 2021. https://www.ics-shipping.org/shipping-fact/shipping-and-world-trade-driving-prosperity/.

[2] Accessed February 8, 2021. https://safety4sea.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/MEPC-75-7-15-Fourth-IMO-GHG-Study-2020-Final-report-Secretariat.pdf.

[3] “Health Risks of Shipping Pollution Have Been ‘underestimated’ | Travel and Transport | The Guardian.” n.d. Accessed February 15, 2021. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2009/apr/09/shipping-pollution.

[4] “Ship’S Ballast Water And Marine Pollution | SpringerLink.” n.d. Accessed February 15, 2021. https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-1-4020-6575-0_30.

[5] “Ballast Water Management - the Control of Harmful Invasive Species.” n.d. Accessed February 8, 2021. https://www.imo.org/en/MediaCentre/HotTopics/Pages/BWM-default.aspx.

[6] Saadoun, Ismail M.K. 2015. “Impact of Oil Spills on Marine Life.” In Emerging Pollutants in the Environment - Current and Further Implications. InTech. https://doi.org/10.5772/60455.

[7] “Learn from the Past: Erika Oil Spill, Europe’s Environmental Disaster - SAFETY4SEA.” n.d. Accessed February 7, 2021. https://safety4sea.com/cm-learn-from-the-past-erika-oil-spill-europes-environmental-disaster/.

[8] Rogowska, Justyna, and Jacek Namie?nik. 2010. “Environmental Implications of Oil Spills from Shipping Accidents.” Reviews of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 206: 95–114. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-6260-7_5.

[9] “Ship-Breaking: A Hazardous Work.” n.d. Accessed February 14, 2021. https://www.ilo.org/safework/areasofwork/hazardous-work/WCMS_110335/lang--en/index.htm.

[10] “The Ship Recycling Industry Must Move Towards a Sustainable Future.” n.d. Accessed February 4, 2021. https://thewire.in/environment/shipbreaking-ship-recycling-industry-sustainable-future-environment.

[11] “The Ship Recycling Industry Must Move Towards a Sustainable Future.” n.d. Accessed February 4, 2021. https://thewire.in/environment/shipbreaking-ship-recycling-industry-sustainable-future-environment.

[12] “Navy Practice of Sinking Old Ships Raises Pollution Concerns – The Mercury News.” n.d. Accessed February 5, 2021. https://www.mercurynews.com/2012/03/03/navy-practice-of-sinking-old-ships-raises-pollution-concerns/.

[13] Ibid

[14] “IMO 2020 – Cutting Sulphur Oxide Emissions.” n.d. Accessed February 6, 2021. https://www.imo.org/en/MediaCentre/HotTopics/Pages/Sulphur-2020.aspx.

[15] “Maersk CEO: LNG Won’t Play a Big Role for Us as a Transition Fuel - Offshore Energy.” n.d. Accessed February 8, 2021. https://www.offshore-energy.biz/maersk-ceo-lng-wont-play-a-big-role-for-us-as-a-transition-fuel/.

[16] “The Fuel That Could Transform Shipping - BBC Future.” n.d. Accessed February 8, 2021. https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20201127-how-hydrogen-fuel-could-decarbonise-shipping.

Pic Courtsey- Mahir Uysal at unsplash.com

(The views expressed are personal views of the author and do not represent the views of CESCUBE or its officials.)