Greenhouse gas emissions at major global ports are continuing to rise despite technological advancements and sustainability investments, a new report by VesselBot has found.
The maritime emissions tracking firm’s report, Quantifying Port Carbon Footprints: Container Vessel Emissions Analysis in Major Global Terminals, revealed that container shipping operations at strategic global ports across Europe, North America, and Asia are continuing to generate increased emissions.
Highest emissions
The Port of Shanghai boasts the highest emissions total, of around 140,000 tonnes of CO2e, overtaking Singapore, despite handling fewer vessels, and highlighting that vessel numbers don’t directly correlate with emission levels.
Singapore, for its part, has invested in ‘digital twin’ technology to mitigate emissions, an illustration of the role technology can play in ports with high traffic volumes, the report noted.
Congestion factors
Other findings from the report include that factors such as port congestion and inefficient operations ‘significantly impact’ emissions, with US ports reporting the highest congestion levels in January and February of this year.
US ports also experienced record-high container volumes and associated emissions at the start of this year, driven by preemptive shipping ahead of new tariff implementations.
“This report reveals the complex relationship between port activity and emissions,” commented Constantine Komodromos, CEO and founder of VesselBot. “Our data shows that while more vessels generally mean more emissions, performance and operational efficiency are crucial mitigating factors.”
VesselBot’s research incorporates vessel geospatial data, operational characteristics, and cargo volume metrics, to calculate container vessel GHG emissions. It also quantifies how port shape, terminal availability, vessel dwell times, and engine utilisation during idle periods significantly influence emission levels from the shipping industry beyond simple vessel counts.
‘The report comes at a critical time as the maritime industry faces increasing pressure to reconcile operational demands with environmental responsibilities under tightening global emissions regulations,’ VesselBot noted. Read more here.
