Air quality in Kiel -
everything within blue bounds.
BLUE SKY. BLUE PORT.
KIEL, CITY WITH THE LOWEST PARTICULATE
MATTER POLLUTION IN GERMANY
The European Environment Agency (EEA) has evaluated pollutant values from 2021/2022 from over 400 measuring points in Europe, including 61 German cities. The average fine dust pollution in Kiel is the lowest in Germany at 6.9 μg/m³ (micrograms per cubic metre). Kiel is in 19th place in Europe. More information: www.eea.europa.eu
AIR QUALITY
AT THE PORT OF KIEL
What air quality do we actually breathe in the port of Kiel?
We have repeatedly got to the bottom of this question using accredited measurement methods and had them compared. In 2018, long-term measurements were carried out at five measuring stations in the vicinity of the port of Kiel and compared with the measurement results from 2008. The result, 2018 as in 2008: all values in the green range.
Measuring method
This certified measurement method used particulate matter measuring stations (PM2.5, PM10) and passive samplers (NO2) from Eurofins, which were supplemented by Olfasense sensor systems for measuring air quality. Optical particle counters recorded the parameters PM1, PM2.5 and PM10. The procedure was recognised by the responsible State Agency for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Areas Schleswig-Holstein (LLUR) and agreed with the Environmental Protection Authority of the State Capital City of Kiel.
The gathered data were compared to existing results and evaluated by the firm of Lairm Consult, taking into consideration the arrival and departure times of cruise ships and the prevailing wind conditions. In order to depict the cruise shipping business using only accredited measurement results, the measurement results by the Eurofins company taken on Hegewischstraße are depicted here (distance to cruise terminal Ostseekai: 600 metres).
Results
All results significantly fall below the applicable regulatory thresholds. Even with multiple cruise ships in port and easterly winds, no regulatory thresholds governing air quality are breached. Particularly during the cruise season the measured values are even lower than the annual average.
As far as fine particle matter PM10 is concerned, the city‘s back- ground condition measured at the reference station Bremerskamp amounted to 15 µg/m³ (annual threshold value: 40µg/m³). The level of pollution captured at the measuring stations in port do not differ from this value. Regarding PM2.5 the findings are similar. In course of the year, an average value of 8.1 µg/m³ was measured (threshold value: 25 µg/m³), which can also be included in the normal background conditions category of the city. Also the nitrogen oxide pollution at the port‘s measuring stations definitely falls below the limit value (40 µg/m³). At the castle garden near Ostseekai, an average NO2 level of 21.3 µg/m³ was measured, which lies in the upper range of the city‘s background condition values. In the Ostuferhafen area, levels of 15.8 µg/m³ were measured which correspond to the dimensions captured at the reference measuring point on Bremerskamp (14 µg/m³). There is no evidence to support a repeatedly advanced theory that there is a connection with emissions registered on one of Kiel‘s main traffic axes, the Theodor Heuss Ring road.
Is that the end of the story?
As we can see, the air quality around the port of Kiel is very good. But naturally, we as PORT OF KIEL want to proactively develop solutions and do our part when it comes to keeping our city’s air clean. This is our commitment as a BLUE PORT and this is the way we plan and act – not only as of now by the way. The ferries and cruise ships coming to Kiel have been equipped with catalysts and filter systems that emit a lot less pollutants than anywhere else. In order to further reduce vessel emissions, shipping companies count more and more on alternative fuels when they build new ships.
The terminal facilities at Norwegenkai, Schwedenkai, Ostseekai and Ostuferhafen have been equipped with shore power to enable emission-free supply of on-board power requirements during the harbour berthing period. It is also possible to supply LNG at the Kiel terminals.