The ocean has always been an inseparable part of human existence. It serves as a source of food and a transportation network, linking all continents. Nowadays, airlines have given access to every place around the globe, but marine shipping continues to develop. The purpose of this paper is to give an environmental analysis of trans-ocean transportation, defining its costs and benefits in comparison with air cargo transportation.
Direct impacts of trans-ocean transportation on the environment include sulphur emissions and oil pollution. Recent changes in the rules of the International Maritime Organization and the U.S.A. EPA restricts the sulphur emissions of the marine shipping (Deal, 2013). New liquefied natural gas powered vessels will meet fuel and emissions compliance, becoming more ecologically safe in comparison with cargo aeroplanes.
One of the most serious indirect impacts of trans-ocean transportation is sound pollution. Large container vessels create a lot of noise that disturbs the inhabitants of the ocean and can lead to the death of fishes and animals (Andersson et al., 2016). Nevertheless, the sound pollution from ships is less than from cargo aeroplanes.
The trans-ocean transportation has a noticeable impact on the environment. Nevertheless, it develops and reduces the amount of pollution created by container vessels.
References
Andersson, K., Baldi, F., Brynolf, S., Lindgren, J. F., Granhag, L., & Svensson, E. (Eds.). (2016). Shipping and the environment. Berlin, Germany: Springer-Verlag.
Deal, A. L. (2013). Liquefied natural gas as a marine fuel. Tulsa, OK: NEPI.