Ferries in port cities like Barcelona, Dublin, and Naples are responsible for more toxic air pollution (sulphur oxide or SOx) than all the cars in those cities, a new study by Transport & Environment (T&E) shows.
Dublin is currently the most polluted port city in Europe for ferry air pollution, followed by Las Palmas and Holyhead. Barcelona is the highest CO2-emitting ferry port in Europe.
The route between Travemünde (Germany) and Helsinki (Finland) is identified as the highest-emitting ferry route in Europe, followed by the corridor between Dover and Calais.
Belgium, however, does not appear in ferry pollution rankings because the country has no inhabited islands and very limited passenger ferry demand. Ports in Belgium are primarily cargo hubs, not passenger hubs. Zeebrugge, for instance, has some Ro-Ro ferry traffic.
Structural factors
Ferries play a vital role in connecting Europe’s islands with the mainland, yet many are old and polluting, harming the climate and the health of people living near ports.
According to the study, 1,043 ferries operating in Europe emitted about 13.4 million tons of CO₂ in 2023, equivalent to the annual emissions of about 6.6 million cars.
The high emissions in the air are largely explained by structural factors: the average age of the vessels (26 years), the heavy marine fuels containing sulphur, and the urban proximity: ferries operate very close to cities and spend long periods in port, concentrating pollution in the cities.
‘Time for clean renewal’
Promisingly, 60% of Europe’s ferries could be electric by 2035, and over half (52%) would be cheaper to operate than fossil-fuelled vessels, the report shows. With the average age of ferries in Europe at 26 years, now is the time for a clean renewal, says T&E.
Electric ferry routes are starting to appear across Europe, proving that clean ferry travel is commercially viable in many cases. The main barrier to scaling up electric ferries is charging infrastructure, but the challenge is smaller than assumed. 57% of ports would only need small chargers below 5 MW to support electric ferry operations.
‘Ferries should connect communities, not pollute them’
This is set to change in 2027, when new emission control areas will come into place, limiting the air pollution from maritime fuels in the North-East Atlantic.
Felix Klann, Shipping Policy Officer at T&E: “Ferries should connect communities, not pollute them. Too many ferries are burning polluting fossil fuels, pumping toxic air into Europe’s port cities. Electrifying them could dramatically cut emissions and bring a breath of fresh air to millions of people.”
Cargo hubs are far more polluting
When all shipping types are included (container ships, tankers, cruise ships, bulk carriers, ferries), the ranking of Europe’s most polluting ports changes dramatically compared with the ferry-only analysis.
Studies from organizations such as the European Environment Agency and Transport & Environment consistently show that large cargo hubs account for the majority of emissions.
Ports dominated by container megaships and tankers emit far more CO₂ overall than ferry ports. For instance, the Port of Rotterdam, Europe’s largest port, handles large volumes of container and oil traffic.
Also, the Port of Antwerp-Bruges has massive petrochemical and container activity. It handles around 290 million tons of cargo annually.
Belgium: second-largest maritime polluter
Belgium’s main port is one of Europe’s largest sources of shipping emissions. It hosts one of the largest petrochemical clusters in the world, welcomes very large vessels, and ships travel far inland along the Scheldt river, increasing pollution in populated areas.
Belgium ranks low in ferry pollution but very high in total maritime emissions. While Belgium is not a major ferry pollution hotspot, the country hosts one of Europe’s largest shipping hubs, with the Port of Antwerp-Bruges ranking as the second-largest maritime emissions source in Europe, behind Rotterdam.
