Ferries emit ‘more sulphur pollution than cars’ in several EU capitals

Ferries emit ‘more sulphur pollution than cars’ in several EU capitals Dublin, Helsinki, Stockholm and Tallinn among port cities more choked by sulphur oxides from ferries, analysis shows Fume-belching ferries spew more sulphur pollution than cars in several EU capitals, analysis has found . Dublin, Helsinki, Stockholm and Tallinn are among 13 of Europe’s 15 biggest port cities choked more by sulphur oxides from ferries than road vehicles, data shared exclusively with the Guardian shows. Europe’s ageing fleet of nearly 2,000 ferries are a large but overlooked source of foul air in coastal cities. Emissions of sulphurous oxides – toxic gases that smell like burnt matches and rotten eggs – react to form tiny particles that penetrate the lungs, ride the bloodstream and damage organs throughout the body. The analysis from Transport & Environment (T&E), a clean transport advocacy group, also found ferries to be a bigger polluter than cars in Athens and Rome, which did not feature in the ranking because their ports are considered separate cities, and in Valletta, the tiny capital of Malta. Major non-capital cities on the list include Barcelona, Marseille, Rotterdam and Valencia. “Ferries should connect communities, not pollute them,” said Felix Klann, a shipping policy analyst at T&E and lead author of the report. Ferries in Europe spend most of their time within five nautical miles of densely populated ports, according to the report, and – unlike bigger vessels that cross oceans – many could run on electricity instead of dirty fuels or expensive synthetic alternatives. The analysis found it would have been “technically feasible and cost-effective” to electrify 20% of Europe’s ferries in 2025, a share that rises to 43% by 2030 as battery technology improves and prices fall. “Too many ferries are burning polluting fossil fuels, pumping toxic air into Europe’s port cities,” said Klann. “Electrifying them could dramatically cut emissions and bring a breath of fresh air to mi...