Environmental impact assessment of vessel carbon emissions based on AIS data and fuzzy logic theory in port waters

IntroductionVessel carbon emissions in ports have emerged as one of the significant sources of pollution affecting the environmental quality of port cities.MethodsQingdao Port was selected as the case study area, and Automatic Identification System (AIS) and meteorological data from September 2022 were used. A hierarchical fuzzy logic model for environmental impact assessment based on AIS data was developed to comprehensively consider the direct and indirect factors influencing the environmental impact of vessel carbon emissions in port waters.ResultsThe results indicate that, influenced by offshore distance, ecological sensitivity, and meteorological factors, the areas with the highest environmental impact of vessel carbon emissions are mainly parts of the harbor district and wharf, followed by parts of the port entry and exit areas and waterways. The vessel types contributing most to high impacts primarily include oil tankers, container vessels, and passenger vessels. The vessel behaviors with significant environmental impacts mainly include operations in the harbor district, berthing at the wharf, and entering and exiting the port.DiscussionThe proposed method can better adapt to the complex environment of port waters and provide theoretical support for ports to develop more reasonable and accurate vessel emission supervision plans.