Ships Trigger High and Unexpected Emissions of the Greenhouse Gas Methane

Coastal methane emissions triggered by ship passages

Estuarine and coastal areas are important sources of methane emitted to the atmosphere through diffusion or ebullition. These processes can be triggered by pressure changes and water column mixing, which can be induced by ships. However, the contribution of ship-triggered emissions is unknown and missing in current emission inventories. Here we show evidence of extensive ship-induced methane emissions and an estimated methane flux (11.1 mmol m−2…

Ships trigger high and unexpected emissions of the greenhouse gas methane

Ship traffic in shallow areas, such as ports, can trigger large methane emissions by just moving through the water. Researchers in a study, led by Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden, observed 20 times higher methane emissions in the shipping lane compared to nearby undisturbed areas.

Empirical dynamic modeling helps deciphering the nonlinear feedback loops governing freshwater methane emissions

Methane (CH4) emissions from freshwater ecosystems represent a major and dynamic component of the global greenhouse gas budget, yet their regulation b…

Stirring up trouble: Ships releasing a large amount methane from the seafloor

A new study has revealed that ships moving through shallow waters may be unintentionally releasing large amounts of methane into the atmosphere, not from their engines, but from the seafloor beneath them. While methane emissions from shipping is extremely problematic, in this instance the ships are only indirectly to blame, according to researchers from Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden. They discovered that methane emissions in busy s…

Methane emissions in shipping higher than we thought, study finds

A Chalmers University of Technology study discovered that methane emissions in shipping are caused by traffic moving through shallow waters.