Environmental Impact Assessment of the Marine Traffic in Port of Taranto: A Preliminary Study

In the last ten years town of Taranto (Italy) is living a decisive phase of its own history, since is torn between the presence of some big hazardous industrial plants and the strong demand of eco-sustainable development. The increasing of manufacturing industries has leaded an undeniable economic and social growth, but, at the same time, has exposed the whole area to great environmental stresses. This concern is particularly true also for the Port of Taranto (PoT) because the harbor area is very close to the city, contributing to expose people to risk of serious health hazards. Although the PoT activity had not a relevant impact on total pollutant emissions in the area, its location makes mandatory an environmental requalification. The purpose of this study is to gather and analyze the data associated with the berthing operations and resulting emissions to better define the potential for emissions reductions and to suggest some possible strategies for bringing pollutants down, in order to reach a wealth based on environmental preservation.