Utilization of vessel automatic identification system (AIS) to estimate the emission of air pollutant from merchant vessels in a Port Area

Vessel-source air pollution may have a major impact on the marine environment and ecosystem. In this study, a method based on vessel activity intensity was adopted to estimate the emission of air pollutants generated by the consumption of fuel oils from merchant vessels in the Port of Kaohsiung in 2013. The vessel activities were determined by using the vessel automatic identification system (AIS) to track vessel traffic and position and to calculate the corresponding emission of air pollutants based on three types of vessel activities: sailing, maneuvering, and hotelling. The results were then used to explore management strategies for controlling vessel-source emissions of air pollutants.