PM2.5 emissions in European shipping areas in 2019, Mar. 2021

This metadata refers to the map showing the PM2.5 emissions from ships in European shipping areas during the year 2019. The numerical values reported in the map are kilograms of PM2.5 per grid cell area. PM2.5 from shipping forms during the various combustion processes on board. In ports an increase in PM10 (PM with a diameter of 10 μm or less) and PM2.5 concentrations can also be observed due to loading, unloading and bunkering operations. There is a direct relationship between the SOx and NOx emitted by ships and the resulting PM. A fraction of SO2 emitted from the engines reconverts into SO3 which almost immediately forms sulphates (PM2.5). In the atmosphere, SO2 is also transformed into particulate sulphate (PM2.5). The dataset has been prepared in the context of developing the first European Maritime Transport Environmental Report (EMSA-EEA report, 2021: https://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/maritime-transport).