SO2 (sulphur dioxide) and NO2 (nitrogen dioxide) are very harmful gases for nature and humans. They are emitted by diesel engines without any flue gas filtration. Ship diesel engines that burn heavy fuel oils are particularly harmful. After all, they emit many cubic metres of gas per minute. Only the banishment of heavy oil can help here.
NO2 is harmful to humans and other living beings. You can already tell by the pungent smell and the scratching in the throat. SO2 develops sulphuric acid in contact with water. It is certainly not good to have constant contact with it. Both gases have a very damaging effect in permanent exposure and shorten life.
Shipping is responsible for approx. 13% of all SO2 and 15% of NO2 emissions worldwide. There are harbours where every breath makes you sick.
The “highways” of world shipping can easily be traced through their SO2 emissions. The routes can easily be found under “www.windy.com” if the world map is set accordingly. Wide, brown-coloured paths that stretch across the oceans. It’s time to do something about it.
In a first step, liquid natural gas can make a ship’s exhaust emissions much cleaner. In the second step, it is then possible to switch to using only stored electricity or clean hydrogen. The technologies have been developed and are available. Only the purchase decisions of the ship operators are still missing.