Canadian waters getting safer, but research gaps limit full understanding of shipping risks

containers-pollution
Hurricane-force winds battered the Svendborg Maersk as it sailed around the Atlantic coast of Europe on February 14th 2014. The Danish ship lost cargo including millions of cigarettes after it was hit with 30ft waves and 60 knot winds off the coast of Northern France.Photo source: ©© Paul Townsend

Excerpts;

The risks of commercial marine shipping accidents across Canada’s regions have been outlined in a new report, including information for different cargo types. The report highlights gaps in understanding and areas for further research…

Read Full Article, Science Daily

“FREIGHTENED – The Real Price of Shipping,” a movie by multi award-winning filmmaker Denis Delestrac-©-2016; (03-31-2016)
90% of the goods we consume in the West are manufactured in far-off lands and brought to us by ship. The cargo shipping industry is a key player in world economy and forms the basis of our very model of modern civilisation; without it, it would be impossible to fulfil the ever-increasing demands of our societies. Yet the functioning and regulations of this business remain largely obscure to many, and its hidden costs affect us all. Due to their size, freight ships no longer fit in traditional city harbours; they have moved out of the public’s eye, behind barriers and check points…

Worldwide Ship Traffic Up 300 Percent Since 1992, AGU (11-29-2014)

Super-sized ships: How big can they get? Independent UK (10-20-2014)
Despite the physical limits and risks, ships of more than 450m are anticipated within the next five years…

Thousands Of Containers Fall Off Ships Every Year. What Happens To Them? Huffington Green (07-17-2014)
It is estimated that thousands of containers are lost every year along international shipping routes due to big waves or wind gusts. Sometimes they wash up on shore, but what happens to the containers that land at the bottom of the sea? No one really knew.

China’s Growth Fuels Boom in World Shipping Traffic, National Geographic
The study reveals that ship traffic—and the environmental impact that goes with it—has been booming even faster than the volume of international trade…

Breaking Bad on the Beach, NASA / Earth Observatory (09-28-2014)
Tens of thousands of ships ply the world’s oceans, bays, and rivers. But what happens when those ships have become too old or too expensive to operate? In most cases, they end up on the shores of Asia…literally.

Ship noise in coastal habitats could interfere with orca’s communication, Science Daily (02-03-2016)
The study is unique because it estimates the source levels of larger populations and more classes of ships than in previous studies. Overall, container ships exhibited the highest median source levels…

Study: Why Blue Whales Can’t Avoid Barges, Ocean Liners, Huffington Green (05-06-2015)

Sea Traffic Pollutes Our Lungs More Than Previously Thought, Science Daily (11-20-2015)
New data show that the air along the coasts is full of hazardous nanoparticles from sea traffic. Almost half of the measured particles stem from sea traffic emissions, while the rest is deemed to be mainly from cars but also industries and natural particles from the sea…

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