Shipping Emissions in Portugal’s Continental Exclusive Economic Zone ^†

The maritime sector faces urgent decarbonization challenges within the framework of global climate targets. In 2020, the Portugal ports recorded 9177 port calls, 94.7% of which were made by cargo vessels, container ships, as well as liquid and solid bulk carriers, highlighting the intensity of commercial traffic. This study aims to estimate nitrogen oxide (NO_x) emissions associated with cargo ships operating within the Continental Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of Portugal. The adopted methodology integrates open-source geospatial data on maritime traffic density from EMODnet, the latest available scenarios from the STEAM model (EMERGE Project), as well as the global emissions inventory CAMS-GLOB-SHIP for the year 2018. The expected results include the identification of emission hotspots and critical maritime corridors, highlighting areas of high NO_x concentration along the coast and the main shipping routes with the greatest environmental impact. These findings will serve as a fundamental tool to support public policies for port and maritime decarbonization, providing essential scientific data to guide the sector’s energy transition. This knowledge will enable the implementation of targeted and effective measures, contributing decisively to the fulfillment of climate commitments at both European and national levels.