RO-Crate Bot

2025-11-11T15:06:32.835Z

RO-Crate Bot

2025-11-11T15:06:32.835Z

RO-Crate Bot

2025-11-11T15:06:32.835Z

RO-Crate Bot

2025-11-11T15:06:32.835Z

RO-Crate Bot

2025-11-11T15:06:32.835Z

Has the 2020 IMO fuel regulation had any noticeable impact on air pollution from shipping?

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2025-11-11T15:06:32.835Z

RO-Crate Bot

2025-11-11T15:06:32.835Z

RO-Crate Bot

2025-11-11T15:06:32.835Z

## Rationale From 1st January 2020 the global upper limit on the sulphur content of ships' fuel oil was reduced from 3.50% to 0.50%, which represents an ~86% cut (from [https://www.imo.org/en/MediaCentre/PressBriefings/pages/34-IMO-2020-sulphur-limit-.aspx](https://www.imo.org/en/MediaCentre/PressBriefings/pages/34-IMO-2020-sulphur-limit-.aspx)).  *Image from [IMO 2020 - cleaner shipping for cleaner air, 20 December 2019](https://www.imo.org/en/MediaCentre/PressBriefings/pages/34-IMO-2020-sulphur-limit-.aspx)* According to the [International Maritime Organization (IMO)](https://www.imo.org/) the new limit should lead to a 77% drop in overall SOx emissions from ships. The Figure below shows the 5 key beneficial changes from IMO's **Sulphur Limit** for Ships' fuel oil:  *Five beneficial changes from IMO’s Sulphur Limit for ships’ fuel oil* ## This Research Object's purpose In this work we look as the **actual impact of these measures on air pollution along shipping routes in Europe** based on Copernicus air quality data. [Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS)](https://ads.atmosphere.copernicus.eu/cdsapp#!/home) uses satellite data and other observations, together with computer models, to track the accumulation and movement of air pollutants around the planet (see [https://atmosphere.copernicus.eu/air-quality](https://atmosphere.copernicus.eu/air-quality)). ### Rohub - Adam plateform integration Some of this CAMS data is available from the [Adam platform](https://adamplatform.eu) and can be imported into a [Research Object](https://www.researchobject.org).  *Example of data (here daily temperatures) displayed on the Adam plateform* It is also possible, from the Research Object, to open the resource in the Adam platform, then interactively zoom into a particular geographical area (say to the right of the Strait of Gibraltar, along the track presumably followed by cargo ships to/from the Suez Canal) and change the date (for example between 2018-07-19 and 2023-07-19) to appreciate the change. #### To go further Obviously **a more detailed statistical analysis** would be required to minimize the effect of external factors (meteorological condition, level of cargo traffic, etc.) over a longer period of time to derive meaningful conclusions, however it does not seem that the high level of sulfur dioxide concentration from the pre-IMO regulation was reached after. ##### Looking at other pollutants Besides SOx the new regulation also contributed to decrease atmospheric concentrations in nitric oxides (NOx) as well as particulate matter (PM). ### References - [IMO 2020 - cleaner shipping for cleaner air, 20 December 2019](https://www.imo.org/en/MediaCentre/PressBriefings/pages/34-IMO-2020-sulphur-limit-.aspx)

RO-Crate Bot

2025-11-11T15:06:32.835Z

## Rationale From 1st January 2020 the global upper limit on the sulphur content of ships' fuel oil was reduced from 3.50% to 0.50%, which represents an ~86% cut (from [https://www.imo.org/en/MediaCentre/PressBriefings/pages/34-IMO-2020-sulphur-limit-.aspx](https://www.imo.org/en/MediaCentre/PressBriefings/pages/34-IMO-2020-sulphur-limit-.aspx)).  *Image from [IMO 2020 - cleaner shipping for cleaner air, 20 December 2019](https://www.imo.org/en/MediaCentre/PressBriefings/pages/34-IMO-2020-sulphur-limit-.aspx)* According to the [International Maritime Organization (IMO)](https://www.imo.org/) the new limit should lead to a 77% drop in overall SOx emissions from ships. The Figure below shows the 5 key beneficial changes from IMO's **Sulphur Limit** for Ships' fuel oil:  *Five beneficial changes from IMO’s Sulphur Limit for ships’ fuel oil* ## This Research Object's purpose In this work we look as the **actual impact of these measures on air pollution along shipping routes in Europe** based on Copernicus air quality data. [Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS)](https://ads.atmosphere.copernicus.eu/cdsapp#!/home) uses satellite data and other observations, together with computer models, to track the accumulation and movement of air pollutants around the planet (see [https://atmosphere.copernicus.eu/air-quality](https://atmosphere.copernicus.eu/air-quality)). ### Rohub - Adam plateform integration Some of this CAMS data is available from the [Adam platform](https://adamplatform.eu) and can be imported into a [Research Object](https://www.researchobject.org).  *Example of data (here daily temperatures) displayed on the Adam plateform* It is also possible, from the Research Object, to open the resource in the Adam platform, then interactively zoom into a particular geographical area (say to the right of the Strait of Gibraltar, along the track presumably followed by cargo ships to/from the Suez Canal) and change the date (for example between 2018-07-19 and 2023-07-19) to appreciate the change. #### To go further Obviously **a more detailed statistical analysis** would be required to minimize the effect of external factors (meteorological condition, level of cargo traffic, etc.) over a longer period of time to derive meaningful conclusions, however it does not seem that the high level of sulfur dioxide concentration from the pre-IMO regulation was reached after. ##### Looking at other pollutants Besides SOx the new regulation also contributed to decrease atmospheric concentrations in nitric oxides (NOx) as well as particulate matter (PM). ### References - [IMO 2020 - cleaner shipping for cleaner air, 20 December 2019](https://www.imo.org/en/MediaCentre/PressBriefings/pages/34-IMO-2020-sulphur-limit-.aspx)

RO-Crate Bot

2025-11-11T15:06:32.835Z