Abstract

While gathering information about oil transportation for VTT Publication 547, Oil transportation and terminal development in the Gulf of Finland (2004), the question about other harmful substances transported in liquid bulk was raised. The Finnish Ministry of the Environment, Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE) and Finnish Maritime Administration (FMA) have made it possible for us to continue the work on tanker transportations by financing this study. The area has been widened to cover the entire Baltic Sea. This publication introduces the statistics concerning the chemicals handled in liquid bulk in the Baltic Sea ports in 2004. The data is based on the public registers, data files and announcements of port authorities and operators. A special questionnaire on transported chemicals, and specifically on bulk form chemicals, was made for ports. Some of the ports have expressed their concern about giving what they consider to be sensitive information; alas, the data in this publication is not to be considered full and complete, but it does give an indication of where chemical tankers are sailing. The latest comprehensive study about chemical transportations in the Baltic Sea was made by HELCOM in 1990 (Study of the Risk for Accidents and the Related Environmental Hazards from the Transportation of Chemicals by Tankers in the Baltic Sea Area). HELCOM statistics were gathered by a thorough collection of data in all Baltic Sea ports during the entire year of 1987. Unfortunately, this specific and time-consuming means of data acquisition was impossible with this publication due to the time scale of the project. Some of the most dangerous or most common chemicals were selected and briefly analysed on the basis of their environmental impact if released into the water. The risk of chemical outflow has also been discussed within the collision and grounding modes. A special chapter related to the Northern Baltic waters has been written on the risk of winter navigation for chemical transportation. Discussion has also been carried out on the fate of chemicals spilled on water and on the physical fundamentals when trying to control them; finally, some scenarios are presented on potentially high-risk areas. Marine chemical transportation is constantly growing in regard of the number of chemicals and the total volume of goods transported. Today, the number of different substances and compounds is quoted in thousands. A great many of these chemicals are dangerous to the environment, and even though the risk of a chemical accident is considered small due to very high standards regarding safety, it does exist. Even if chemical tankers do take safety aspects into consideration, there are a number of other ships in the same sea area, as well as a number of ships crossing their paths and meeting each other in narrow sounds or in dense traffic areas. The safety practices of chemical tankers are among the best. Maritime society has also introduced several new actions to improve maritime safety. It is a well known fact that the number of large scale oil and chemical spills has declined during the last decades. This fact shows that recent measures such as phase out of single hull tankers, stricter legislation, IMO actions, Erika packages, etc. have improved the safety of ships and routes. However, around 80% of all incidents and accidents are due to the human factor, for example human/machine interaction or cultural behaviour. Thus even though new technical means (VTS, AIS, ECDIS, etc.) have been established to improve safety, there is a lot of work to be done to prevent accidents and environmental damage.

Abstract

In the context of high energy use and greenhouse gas emissions from road passenger transport, the prospects of market diffusion of new car technologies is at present time uncertain. For instance, the impact of current oil prices on the market uptake of electric vehicles is yet to be seen. Systems thinking and scenario analysis are useful to explore possible future outcomes. This paper focuses on car technologies scenarios for the Chinese, German and US markets until 2030. The technologies investigated are: gasoline, diesel, flexi-fuel, liquefied petroleum gas, natural gas, hybrid, plug-in hybrid, battery electric and fuel cell vehicles. Based on the System Dynamics approach, a model integrating discrete choice and accounting frameworks is developed. The developed System Dynamics model is applied to examine alternative policies and to estimate energy use and emissions in each of the markets under various scenarios. The model results illustrate the importance of taking indirect emissions into account. In conclusion, simulated policies sensibly alter car technology uptake and have an impact on the environment. Finally, the ideas of feedback process and expansion of model boundaries are considered to be crucial in modeling such a complex and uncertain system.

Abstract

During the last two decades, the development of sustainable transportation systems has been highlighted as a key element in solving environmental problems related to climate change and impacts on greenhouse gases. Globally, the transportation sector has become one of the main contributors to these environmental problems. Thus, the environmental impact assessment of this sector and the implications of new vehicle technologies have begun to be considered as first steps for any long-term future strategies in this sector. In Palestine, the lack of environmental data related to the transportation sector and the absence of studies that address the new vehicle technologies (such as hybrid vehicles) and their future implications make it difficult to set up any future strategies or plans. In this study, the current and the future environmental impacts of the transportation sector have been assessed, and the future implications of hybrid vehicles have been determined. The gross domestic product (GDP), population, and the number of vehicles for the period 1994–2018 have been used to develop an auto regressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) prediction model for the future number of vehicles. Then, the total traveled kilometers and the total consumed fuels (by diesel and gasoline vehicles) have been predicted. After that, the current and future (2020 and 2030) greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, including CO"sub"2"/sub", N"sub"2"/sub"O, and CH"sub"4"/sub", have been estimated. Finally, the future implications of hybrid vehicles, based on two scenarios (10% and 20% hybrid vehicles) have been estimated. The results have showed that the estimated CO"sub"2"/sub", N"sub"2"/sub"O, and CH"sub"4"/sub" emissions from the transportation sector in 2020 are 4,842,164.5, 213.8, and 445.8 tons, which are very high, and even much higher than the total national emissions of 2014 (the only officially available data). Moreover, in 2030, replacing 20% of internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEVs) by hybrid vehicles would lead to 4.66% and 13.31% reductions in CO"sub"2"/sub" and N"sub"2"/sub"O, respectively, as compared to 100% ICEVs, while the CH"sub"4 "/sub"emissions will increase. However, the overall CO"sub"2"/sub"-equivalent will decrease by 5%; therefore, a more sustainable transport system will be achieved. Document type: Article

Abstract

In recent years, many countries have published their timetables to promote electric vehicles. Many researches have focused on the benefits of electric vehicles. Compared with gas vehicles, electric vehicles are more suitable for modern cities, because they are considered to be environment-friendly by the public. Hence we pay attention to the environmental costs of electric vehicles. In this paper, an electric vehicle network is established. To analyze this electric vehicle network, we define environmental costs for the network and propose a stochastic user equilibrium model to describe drivers’ route choice behavior. An algorithm is proposed to solve this model. The model and the algorithm are illustrated through a numerical example. We test the calculation feasibility of the proposed model and the computational efficiency of the proposed algorithm via this numerical example. A comparative analysis is conducted to show the benefits of introducing electric vehicles into traffic networks. With the sensitivity analysis, we also reveal the relationship between people’s environmental awareness, the quantity of electric vehicles and the environmental costs of the overall traffic network. Document type: Article

Abstract

This paper summarises the lessons learned from using electric freight vehicles (EFVs) for urban freight transport in three dimensions. First we look at the technical and operational suitability of using EFVs, including energy efficiency, range and its seasonal variations, and charging and local grid capacity issues. Then we examine all the elements which affect the business case from a carrier’s perspective, including changes of business model by the size of the vehicle, changes in value network and the elements required to enable a transition towards a wider-scale electrification. Finally, we present the environmental impacts from running EFVs at three levels, including direct impact analysis from the project demonstration activities, impact analysis at a wider uptake level by using traffic models and impact monetisation. Data used for this analysis is collected under the European FP7 project FREVUE, where around 80 electric-powered vehicles were deployed in the cities of Amsterdam, Lisbon, London, Madrid, Milan, Oslo, Rotterdam, and Stockholm.

Abstract

Os impactos ambientais do transporte assumem diversas formas e têm efeitos locais, regionais e globais. A crescente dimensão do tema desperta interesse mundial, expresso em inúmeras propostas voltadas à moderação dos impactos em áreas urbanas e em rodovias, bem como à integração entre transporte e sustentabilidade. O referencial teórico mostra que a recomendação de ações para redução de impactos ambientais depende de conhecimento do cenário de intervenção e também da compatibilidade entre propostas, características da área e necessidades da população local, ao passo que a análise do estado-da-arte em cidades globais baliza possíveis metas a atingir. O presente trabalho teve como objetivos criar uma metodologia de avaliação de impactos ambientais e investigar a relação entre transporte, qualidade ambiental e qualidade de vida em alguns locais de São Paulo. Tendo como norte os conceitos de transporte sustentável e desenho ambiental, foi elaborado um modelo de diagnóstico de qualidade ambiental e qualidade de vida. Para tanto, duas pesquisas foram aplicadas: uma subjetiva, caracterizando a demanda por infra-estrutura urbana e a qualidade de vida da população; e a outra objetiva, cujos resultados permitiram avaliar os impactos ambientais. As pesquisas ocorreram em 3 Subprefeituras do Município de São Paulo, sendo que a avaliação dos resultados teve como base o uso de alguns indicadores de qualidade ambiental e uma calculadora de externalidades, especialmente desenvolvidos para o estudo. A metodologia mostrou ser viável para diagnosticar a qualidade de vida da população local, as características físicas pontuais e os impactos ambientais resultantes do tráfego local. O levantamento facilitou a sugestão de uma série de intervenções pontuais, constituindo um instrumento de avaliação flexível e replicável em outras localidades. The environmental impacts of transport take a myriad of forms and spread locally, regionally and globally. The growing dimension of the issue raises worldwide interest, translated into a series of proposals focused on the mitigation of such impacts in urban areas and motorways, as well as the integration between transport and sustainability. The theoretical framework has shown that the suggestion of mitigation measures requires knowledge about the target scenario, and also balance among proposals, features of the area and the local population?s needs, whereas the analysis of transport in global cities provide some state-of-the-art examples likely to be pursued. The main objectives were to create a methodology for the environmental impact assessment and to investigate the relationship among transport, environmental quality and quality of life at specific spots in the City of São Paulo. Taking into account the concepts of sustainable transport and environmental design, a model for the diagnosis of environmetal quality and quality of life was prepared. For this purpose, two different surveys were carried out: one concerning subjective aspects, featuring the demand for urban infrastructure and the population?s quality of life; and another concerning objective aspects, whose analysis enabled the assessment of environmental impacts. These surveys took place at three administrative regions in the City of São Paulo. The analysis relied on some environmental quality indicators and a simple calculator, especially devised for this project. The methodology has proved to be feasible for the appraisal of the local population?s quality of life, the physical characteristics of the sampled spots and the environmental impacts resulting from local traffic. The survey has facilitated the recommendation of a series of local interventions, making up a flexible and easily adaptable assessment tool.

Abstract

Regional airports are often located very close to the urban area they serve and the increasing traffic rate that many of them have experienced in the last years has produced several impacts on the communities living close to the airport area, mainly aviation noise. If not properly managed, noise impacts produced by airport operations can cut down significantly the development of airport air traffic with direct effects on the economic and territorial systems. Aeronautical noise has greatly reduced in the last decade, due to aircraft design technological improvements and more severe regulations. However, the noise reduction during a single event does not make the issue of the airport location – and then the whole noise impact – less significant. This paper proposes an assessment process to evaluate the effects of actions adopted to reduce airport noise impacts on populated areas. Both airport-related factors – such as number of take-off; day-evening-night distributions of movements; aircraft type; flying paths – and land-use characteristics have been considered and combined in a density index that synthesizes the impacts of airport noise on the territory. The assessment process has been tested on a real case, the airport of Bologna in Northern Italy. The predicted results, compared with available real data for the test case, are significant and encourage the use of the proposed assessment process as decision support system for the airport management.