Europe’s luxury cruise ships emit as much toxic sulphur as 1bn cars – study. Cruise ship pollution around ports higher than pre-pandemic levels, but air pollutants from cruise ships fell 80% in Venice following the city’s ban on large ships
Toxic air pollutants from cruise ships around ports are higher than pre-pandemic levels, leaving Europe’s port cities choking in air pollution, a new Transport & Environment study shows.
Despite the introduction of the UN shipping body’s sulphur cap in 2020, last year Europe’s 218 cruise ships emitted as much sulphur oxides (SOx) as 1 billion cars.
However, at the port of Venice air pollutants from cruise ships fell 80% following the city’s ban on large cruise ships. It shows that it is possible to tackle air pollution, says T&E, which calls for greater electrification at ports in order to save lives.
