Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Adoption of a multi-criteria approach for the selection of operational measures in a maritime environment

This study applies a multi-criteria decision-making framework to help the maritime shipping industry choose operational measures that balance productivity with environmental sustainability. Reducing plastic waste and pollution from shipping vessels is one factor considered in this analysis.

2021 Journal of Project Management 5 citations
Article Tier 2

An Ecological Sustainability Assessment Approach for Strategic Decision Making in International Shipping

This paper develops an ecological sustainability assessment framework for international shipping, examining pollution, biodiversity impacts, and resource use. While not focused on microplastics specifically, shipping is a significant source of marine plastic pollution through cargo spills, lost fishing gear, and ship-generated waste. Incorporating plastic pollution into shipping sustainability assessments could help reduce this contribution.

2021 Sustainability 11 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in Ship Sewage and Solutions to Limit Their Spread: A Case Study

Researchers found microplastic particles in both grey water and post-treatment sewage from transport ships, with mean concentrations of 72 particles per litre in grey water and 51 per litre in treated sewage, demonstrating that ships represent a significant and underregulated source of microplastic pollution in protected marine areas.

2022 Water 21 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic Pollution in Ship-Sourced Wastewater: Assessment of Pollution Load Risk for Ballast and Bilge Water

A study of ship-generated wastewater found substantial microplastic contamination in both ballast water and bilge water, identifying maritime transport as an underappreciated pathway for spreading microplastic pollution across ocean environments. The findings suggest that current international shipping regulations may be insufficient to prevent microplastic dispersal from vessel operations.

2026 Journal of Naval Architecture and Marine Technology
Article Tier 2

The Study of the Laws of Vietnam to Prevent and Control Marine Environmental Pollution from Ship's Garbage

This study examines Vietnamese maritime law governing the prevention and control of marine environmental pollution from ship-generated garbage, analyzing how existing regulations align with international standards for managing waste from vessel operations. The authors identify gaps in Vietnam's legal framework for controlling ship-source pollution and recommend strengthening enforcement and compliance mechanisms to protect national marine waters.

2022 journal of social sciences review 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Pollution of the Sea by Maritime Traffic

This Slovenian thesis examines how maritime shipping contributes to sea pollution through fuel emissions, cargo spills, ballast water discharge, and other vessel operations. While not focused exclusively on microplastics, shipping is a recognized pathway for plastic debris entering the ocean.

2023 Repository of the University of Ljubljana (University of Ljubljana)
Article Tier 2

Microplastic generation and emission from ship's greywater

Researchers investigated microplastic concentrations and characteristics in greywater discharged from three vessel types - a research vessel, a container ship, and passenger ships - and estimated total microplastic emissions from global commercial shipping. The study found that untreated ship greywater represents a significant but unregulated sea-based microplastic source, with passenger vessels generating the highest microplastic loads per volume of discharge.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Advanced technical solutions for marine pollution control in the Adriatic Sea

This paper reviews technical measures for reducing marine pollution from shipping in the Adriatic Sea, focusing on atmospheric emissions from ship engines and seawater pollution from oil, microplastics, and acidification. Transitioning ships toward cleaner fuel systems and better waste management could substantially reduce the environmental burden from maritime traffic.

2022 Rad Hrvatske akademije znanosti i umjetnosti Tehničke znanosti
Article Tier 2

Investigation of plastic and microplastic waste from ships in the marine environment

Researchers investigated plastic and microplastic waste originating from ships in the marine environment, examining the types, quantities, and pathways by which vessel operations contribute to marine plastic pollution. The study addresses a relatively underexplored source of marine plastic contamination compared to land-based inputs.

2024 Istanbul Technical University Academic Open Archive (Istanbul Technical University)
Article Tier 2

Assessment of Microplastic Abundance and Discharge from Greywater of Ships

Researchers quantified microplastics in ship greywater from showers, washbasins, laundry, and dishwashers and found that laundry sources produced the highest microplastic concentrations. Since greywater can be discharged to the sea without treatment in most areas, ships contribute substantially to marine microplastic pollution. The study supports the case for regulating greywater discharge from vessels.

2023
Article Tier 2

Research status and prospect of microplastics in ship grey water

This review examines microplastic pollution in ship grey water, covering potential sources, current management measures, and progress in qualitative and quantitative analysis techniques for characterizing marine grey water microplastics. The authors propose future research directions including standardized analytical frameworks and improved estimation methods for marine plastic inputs from vessels.

2024 E3S Web of Conferences
Systematic Review Tier 1

A Systematic Literature Review of Maritime Transportation Safety Management

This systematic literature review of 186 articles found an increasing research trend in maritime transportation safety management, particularly in safety risk analysis and emergency management. The review identified four future research perspectives for developing more resilient maritime transportation systems, which is relevant to ocean pollution because shipping is a significant source of marine microplastic contamination.

2023 Journal of Marine Science and Engineering 27 citations
Article Tier 2

Pollution Regulation of Shipping in East Asian Seas on the "21st Century Maritime Silk Road"

This study examines the pollution regulation frameworks governing shipping in the East Asian Seas along the '21st Century Maritime Silk Road,' analyzing how increased maritime trade has intensified shipping pollution threats to regional environmental safety and economic interests. The authors assessed international and regional cooperative mechanisms for controlling marine pollution from growing commercial shipping activity.

2025 Lecture Notes in Education Psychology and Public Media
Article Tier 2

Sustainable production of marine equipment in a circular economy: deepening in material and energy flows, best available techniques and toxicological impacts

Researchers examined the environmental impacts of marine leisure equipment production within a circular economy framework, analyzing material and energy flows, best available techniques, and toxicological impacts to identify opportunities for more sustainable manufacturing practices.

2019 The Science of The Total Environment 34 citations
Article Tier 2

Ship Sanitation: Controlling and Preventing Risk Factors of Disease Transmission

Ship sanitation is identified as a critical but underappreciated factor in controlling the international spread of infectious diseases. This observational study found gaps in vessel sanitation protocols that create significant risks for disease transmission.

2021 Journal of Health Science and Prevention 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Industrial ecology for the oceans

This review examines the principles of industrial ecology as applied to ocean resource management, discussing historical and contemporary challenges of human interaction with marine environments. The paper addresses how industrial ecology frameworks can inform more sustainable approaches to fisheries, shipping, and marine resource use while contending with pollution challenges including microplastics and oil spills.

2022 Journal of Industrial Ecology 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic generation and emission from ship's greywater

Researchers measured microplastic abundances and characteristics in greywater from different vessel types — a research vessel, a container ship, and passenger ships — and estimated global microplastic emissions from the discharge of untreated ship greywater. They found a mean abundance of 135,563 particles/m3 in research vessel greywater with fibers comprising about 66% of particles, identifying greywater discharge as a significant and largely unregulated sea-based microplastic source.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

A Review of Renewable Energy Systems and IMO’s Advanced Strategies for Marine Pollution Mitigation

This review synthesizes advances in renewable energy systems and international maritime strategies for reducing marine pollution from the shipping industry. The study highlights significant gaps in addressing microplastic pollution from vessels and calls for integrating renewable energy solutions to reduce the shipping sector's environmental footprint.

2024 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Strategies for Green Shipbuilding Design and Production Practices Focused on Reducing Microplastic Pollution Generated during Installation of Plastic Pipes

This paper proposes that shipbuilders should account for microplastic pollution during the design and fitting-out stages of vessel construction, particularly when cutting and preparing plastic pipes — a process that scatters plastic debris that can easily enter the marine environment. By choosing pipe layouts that minimise cutting and handling near open water, the shipbuilding industry could meaningfully reduce its contribution to ocean microplastic pollution.

2023 Journal of Marine Science and Engineering 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Multi-Criteria Relationship Analysis of Knowledge, Perception, and Attitude of Stakeholders for Engagement towards Maritime Pollution at Sea, Beach, and Coastal Environments

Researchers used multi-criteria analysis to assess the knowledge, perceptions, and attitudes of stakeholders toward marine pollution governance, finding persistent gaps between awareness and action, and identifying barriers to mobilizing the level of engagement needed for effective protection of vulnerable coastal ecosystems.

2022 Sustainability 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Towards a Comprehensive Understanding of Microplastics and Antifouling Paint Particles from Ship-Hull Derusting Wastewater and Their Emissions into the Marine Environment

Researchers conducted a systematic analysis of microplastics and antifouling paint particles found in wastewater from ship hull cleaning operations. They found that both types of particles are released in significant quantities during derusting, with antifouling particles being particularly toxic due to their high metal and biocide content. The study highlights ship maintenance activities as an important but often overlooked source of marine microplastic and toxic particle pollution.

2026 Journal of Marine Science and Engineering 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Shipping in Arctic Marine Ecosystems under Stress: Recognizing and Mitigating the Threats

This review examines how rapid Arctic shipping expansion poses chemical, physical, and biological threats to fragile cold-water marine ecosystems already under climate stress, calling for strengthened regulation building on the Polar Code and expanded marine protected areas to reduce cumulative impacts.

2023 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Sustainable activities in Croatian marinas – towards the “green port” concept

This study examined the adoption of 'green port' sustainability principles in Croatian marinas, analyzing the regulatory framework, international certifications, and current practices, finding that while awareness is growing, widespread implementation of comprehensive sustainability measures remains limited.

2022 Pomorstvo 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Quantification of microplastics in ship-generated greywater and their contribution to Baltic marine pollution

Ships are a poorly studied but potentially significant source of microplastic pollution in enclosed seas. This study measured microplastic concentrations in eight greywater (sink, shower, and laundry) discharge streams from five vessels operating in the Baltic Sea, finding concentrations up to 600,000 particles per cubic meter in laundry wastewater. PET fibers from synthetic textiles dominated the samples. Extrapolating to the entire Roll-on/Roll-off ferry fleet operating in the Baltic, the researchers estimated a substantial annual microplastic load entering one of Europe's most ecologically sensitive and contaminated marine environments.

2026 Environmental Pollution