Emisiones y residuos producidos por el tráfico de la flota de buques cruceros en el estrecho de Gibraltar

Abstract

The cruise tourism industry has experienced significant growth in recent years in terms of new passengers and fleet, undergoing a growing popularization process and acquiring enormous importance as an economic factor throughout the world. In addition, the modern cruise industry is also one of the most prominent examples of globalization, with ports and destinations around the world. In particular, the Strait of Gibraltar is one of the most impacted marine areas by this type of transport, by focusing on such a small area a large number of these vessels. People on board these ships, live and entertain in them, these activities produce a lot of waste: solid waste, wastewater (grey and black), bilge water and gaseous emissions (CO2, NOx, SOx and PM2.5). The International Maritime Organization (IMO) is the specialized agency responsible for the safety and security of navigation and the prevention of marine pollution by ships and obeys passenger ships, including cruise ships, to use the AIS system. Automatic identification). This system provides useful information such as identification number, GPS position, speed and heading of the vessel. In this work, AIS data are used to assess the environmental impacts related to cruise traffic along its routes, specifically those in the Strait of Gibraltar. The proposed methodology enables AIS data, reports from shipping and environmental agencies, and databases to assess the environmental impacts and environmental pressure exerted by the global cruise fleet in the Strait of Gibraltar waters.