Sulphur Sulphur dioxide emissions of oceangoing vessels measured remotely with Lidar dioxide emissions Sulphur dioxide emissions of oceangoing vessels measured remotely with Lidar RIVM Report 609021119/2012 RIVM Report 609021119 Colophon © RIVM 2012 Parts of this publication may be reproduced, provided acknowledgement is given to the 'National Institute for Public Health and the Environment', along with the title and year of publication. A.J.C. Berkhout D.P.J. Swart G.R. van der Hoff J.B. Bergwerff Contact: M. Mooij Advisory Service for the Inspectorate, Environment and Health
[email protected] This investigation has been performed by order and for the account of VROM- Inspectie, within the framework of M/690021/09-LI-Lidar. Page 2 of 61 RIVM Report 609021119 Abstract Sulphur dioxide emissions of oceangoing vessels measured remotely with Lidar RIVM developed a shore-based instrument to measure the sulphur dioxide emissions of passing seagoing vessels. This instrument applies the Lidar (Light Detection And Ranging) technique by scanning the exhaust plume of a passing ship with a laser beam and, after analysis of the return signals, determining the emissions. This whole procedure occurs unnoticed by the passing ship. The instrument was used between 2006 and 2008 to measure sulphur dioxide emissions from a large number of ships sailing on the Western Scheldt estuary and North Sea Canal. The highest measured emission of sulphur dioxide was 37 grammes per second. The total amount of sulphur dioxide emissions in the Netherlands has been declining for many years. Since 2006, emissions from oceangoing shipping vessels have been declining as well, but not as fast as those from other sources.