Shipping has a significant impact on air quality through particulate matter and gaseous emissions, which serve as precursors to various, often toxic, aerosols. Concerns about human health have driven regulatory measures, such as the IMO-2020 sulphur cap, which has drastically reduced sulphur oxide emissions from ships since January 1st, 2020. While this regulation has been crucial in lowering harmful pollutants, it has also led to a significant reduction in sulphate aerosols, which play a critical role in cloud formation and cloud droplet lifetime. Recent studies suggest that this reduction may contribute to a net positive radiative forcing and climate warming, though the magnitude of this impact remains under debate.

As the shipping industry is poised to significantly lower its carbon footprint over the coming decades, the adoption of low-carbon fuels is expected to alter the landscape of ship emissions, introducing new or different side-pollutants. This demands a detailed understanding of the processes leading to their climate impacts. This session aims to bridge the gap between those focused on reducing shipping emissions and those researching their climate and air quality effects.

We invite contributions focused on ship emission observations and modelling, ship voyage analysis and optimization, assessments of aerosol emissions from maritime low-carbon fuels and research on modelling the radiative forcing, climate, and air quality impact of shipping. Our goal is to foster dialogue among diverse modelling approaches and encourage inter-comparison projects. This will enhance our understanding of the interaction between shipping and climate while providing a comprehensive review of the radiative impacts of anticipated technological advancements in this industry.