Romanian Journal of Ecology & Environmental Chemistry
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Modern techniques for pollution control onboard ships


Authors: CRISTINA-ANDREEA TUDOR

Keywords: pollution, regulation, technology, maritime, sustainability
https://doi.org/10.21698/rjeec.2025.212

Marine pollution is a critical problem for water ecosystems, human health and global ecology. Ships pollute the sea with oil discharges, garbage, air emissions, chemical spills and ballast water, so that it is important to adopt proper pollution prevention solutions. According to the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL), vessels have to use oil-water separators, double hulls, emission control systems, and waste management devices to limit their environmental footprint. The control of liquid pollution is performed with the help of innovative response plans, procedures and the development of oil absorbing technologies. The release of garbage is reduced by sorting waste and using recycling, incineration and other techniques. Reducing air pollution means using renewable energy sources, scrubbers, low sulfur fuels, energy-efficient engines, wind-solar associated propulsion systems, and treating ballast water to prevent the spread of invasive species. Ships must also have wastewater treatment plants as well as stocks of biodegradable cleaning products to comply with sewage and chemical discharge regulations. Artificial intelligent based pollution monitoring, hybrid and alternative energies (hydrogen and ammonia) are modern technical solutions to address this problem.