Compliance checks are key to cracking port pollution

Local pollution is not a problem that can just be regulated and then forgotten about. Without effective emissions monitoring and enforcement, non-compliance is unknown and likely widespread among many shipowners and operators, says Fredrik Fuglesang, CEO of maritime technology company SeaARCTOS. Local pollution refers to sulphur oxides (SOx), nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate matter (PM) like black carbon (soot), rather than greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions like carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) and methane (CH 4 ). Local pollution is particularly harmful to human health, so controlling it, especially in urban ports, is a priority. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), this pollution exacerbates existing conditions like asthma, causes respiratory problems with long-term exposure linked to lung cancer, and increases the risk of heart disease and stroke.