EMERGE

EMERGE — Evaluation, control and Mitigation of the EnviRonmental impacts of shippinG Emissions

EMERGE is an innovative 4-year research project funded by the European Commission under the Horizon 2020 programme. The “EMERGE” acronym is short for “Evaluation, control and Mitigation of the EnviRonmental impacts of shippinG Emissions”. The project started in February 2020 and is coordinated by Finnish Meteorological Institute, FMI. 

The objectives of EMERGE are (i) to quantify and evaluate the effects of potential emission reduction solutions for shipping in Europe for several scenarios, and (ii) to develop effective strategies and measures to reduce the environmental impacts of shipping. EMERGE objectives will be achieved through real-world test cases involving measurements and modelling on actual vessels, along main shipping routes and in sensitive European marine regions. 

The EMERGE consortium will model real world emissions of shipping to air and water for the whole of Europe. The project will collect and synthesize experimental evidence on waste streams to water and emissions to air originating from ships, for different emission control technologies. The measurements will focus on abatement techniques and will include emissions to, and concentrations in water, air and marine biota. The project will especially investigate how effectively available scrubbers reduce the effects of key pollutants. 

EMERGE includes five geographical case studies, in different ecologically vulnerable regions, and a mobile onboard case study. The case study regions are (i) Eastern Mediterranean (ii) Northern Adriatic Sea, (iii) the region surrounding the Lagoon of Aveiro, (iv) the Solent Strait and (v) the Öresund Strait. The mobile onboard case study will be deployed in various European sea regions. 

EMERGE will develop an integrated modelling framework to assess the combined impacts of shipping emissions on the aquatic and atmospheric environments, and the effects on marine ecosystems. The assessment will include the benefits and costs of control and mitigation options affecting water quality, air pollution exposure, health impact, climate forcing and bioaccumulation of pollutants. EMERGE will provide recommendations and guidance for stakeholders and decision-makers on cost-beneficial options for sustainable use of shipping on the medium and long term.

As a project partner, HELCOM will be involved in the work packages on hosting and publicizing spatial data outputs such as emission maps stemming from developed modelling framework and based on different management scenarios. HELCOM will furthermore participate in developing online tools for disseminating the outcomes and associated data to stakeholders, decision-makers and to the general public.

Find more information from the EMERGE project website.

For more information, please contact:

Joni Kaitaranta

Data coordinator
joni.kaitaranta@helcom.fi
+358 46 850 9206