Marine transportation and the environment

Article By:

Meyer, Michael D. Department of Civil Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia.

Last reviewed:2010

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1036/1097-8542.YB100212

The transportation system affects the natural environment in many ways. Land, vegetation, and natural habitats are impacted by the physical construction of the facilities used to move people and goods, such as highways, airport runways, and seaport facilities. The vehicles or vessels that use the transportation system also impact the surrounding environment, for example, through pollutant emissions from engines, discharges into water bodies, and noise and vibration disturbances from vehicle operations. Marine transportation, as one part of the transportation system, impacts the natural environment in a variety of ways, often resulting in governmental policies and vessel design or technology strategies aimed at reducing such impacts. With more than 90% of global trade carried by sea, and with the amount of goods loaded aboard ships reaching 7.4 billion metric tons (8.2 billion short tons) in 2006, marine transportation's impact on the environment can be widespread.

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