Ultra fine particle concentration while ships were transiting through the Grand Harbour were 80 times higher than clean air levels, an exercise carried out by Birdlife Malta and other entities yesterday has shown.

Ultra fine particles are known to be a major risk to human health as they trigger severe heart and lung disease. 

It is the result of the first exercise carried out in Valletta and Vittoriosa by BirdLife Malta which will be venturing into a new campaign against air pollution from ships.

The details were announced during a press conference in Valletta addressed by officials from BirdLife Malta, NABU (BirdLife Germany), and independent air quality expert Axel Friedrich.

BLM has teamed up with NABU and several other international partners on the project to raise awareness on air pollution generated by cruise ships in the Mediterranean with the ultimate goal of declaring the Mediterranean Sea as a Sulphur Emission Control Area (SECA).

During the project's duration, the NGOs will work towards raising awareness in Malta and the Mediterranean about air pollution from cruise ships, with the aim of establishing a SECA within the region. Such an emission control area at sea would improve air quality by demanding that all ships operating within the Mediterranean use cleaner fuels.

Ships are a major contributor to air pollution that threatens climate, the environment and health. Ship engines traditionally burn low quality heavy fuel oil which contributes considerably to global and local emissions, including soot emissions which are in particular harmful to health, ecosystems and climate.

Cruise shipping movements in Malta have increased by almost 16% over the past six years with 280 cruise ships in 2010 and 324 in 2015 berthing at Valletta Cruise Port.