Monitoring of pollution sources and environmental impact assessment in port areas: a case study of Klaipėda Port

This study examines the monitoring of pollution sources and their environmental impact in port environments, focusing on the Port of Klaipeda. The analysis identifies intensive shipping, cargo handling, and industrial activities as the main contributors to air and water pollution. Based on AIS data, nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions are primarily generated by Ro-Ro vessels, container ships, and bulk carriers, indicating the dominant role of cargo-intensive vessels. In addition, sulfur oxides, particulate matter, and greenhouse gas emissions remain significant, despite a decreasing trend observed in recent years. The study evaluates the application of environmental monitoring measures, including air quality monitoring stations, sensors, drones, hydrodynamic models, and laboratory analyses. The results demonstrate that continuous monitoring enables the identification of pollution sources and supports rapid response to incidents. However, the findings also reveal that monitoring systems remain partially fragmented and not fully integrated. Overall, the study highlights that pollution in port areas is a complex and multi-source phenomenon, and that the effective reduction of environmental impact requires integrated monitoring approaches and the consistent application of advanced technologies to support sustainable port development.