Analysis and assessment of environmental threats in maritime transport
Agnieszka Deja, Robert Ulewicz, Yaroslav Kyrychenko
Abstract
The paper discusses the environmental impact assessment of key pollutants generated by vessels during maritime transport operations. For the purposes of this study, a vessel is considered as a system that can be broken down into main subsystems and system components. Maritime shipping is a relatively environmentally-friendly means of moving large cargo over long distances. It is the only mode of transport that can successfully take over cargo from hinterland traffic. Mobility improvements have forced people to use more complex energy sources, which has contributed to the development and upgrading of transport infrastructure. From the economic perspective, maritime transport is currently an optimal transport mode. The fast development of this sector, observed especially on the Far Eastern market, entails the elevated risk of polluting the marine environment as a result of ongoing operations as well as accidents. The objective of this paper is to analyse and evaluate the environmental hazards that may arise from the operation of ERRVs (Emergency Response and Rescue Vessels).