The port of Veracruz is one of the most important ports in Mexico and is currently in the process of a major expansion. The new port area, “Bahía Norte”, will be three times larger than the current port, “Bahía Sur”. Atmospheric emissions from the Veracruz port system, specifically from the engines of ships undergoing maneuvering and hotelling operations, were determined on a daily basis from 2018 to 2019 for sulfur dioxide (SO₂), nitrogen oxides (NO_x), carbon monoxide (CO), non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOC), particles (PM), particles smaller than 10 micrometers (PM₁₀), particles smaller than 2.5 micrometers (PM_2.5) and carbon dioxide (CO₂). A bottom-up method was used to estimate the atmospheric emissions, based on official data from the European Environment Agency. The method utilizes on technical information on the type of ship, the power of the main engine (ME) and auxiliary engine (AE), load factor, specific fuel consumption, and spent time in the maneuvering and hotelling phases. The highest atmospheric emissions occurred in the hotelling phase. For the “Bahía Sur” emissions (Mg/year) were 328.6, 993.3, 122.3, 30.6, 22.9, 19.1, 18.5 and 52,723.4 for SO₂, NO_x, CO, NMVOC, PM, PM₁₀, PM_2.5 and CO₂, respectively. For “Bahía Norte” the corresponding emissions were 43.9, 132.7, 16.3, 4.1, 3.1, 2.5, 2.3 and 7,040.9, also in the hotelling phase. The average combined of the atmospheric emissions from maneuvering and hotelling phases (Mg/year) were 1.18, 3.49, 0.44, 0.13, 0.09, 0.08, 0.07, and 189.23 for SO₂, NO_x, CO, NMVOC, PM, PM₁₀, PM_2.5 and CO₂, respectively. During the 2018-2019 period of the study the “Bahía Sur” contributed ~87% and the “Bahía Norte” ~13% of the atmospheric emissions.

Atmospheric emissions from vessels at 38 Pacific and Gulf-Caribbean Mexican ports were determined for nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, particulates, carbon monoxide, non-methane volatile organic compounds, and carbon dioxide. The emissions have been estimated using a bottom-up methodology in the maneuver and hoteling phases, by vessel type, from 2005 to 2020. Maritime traffic in Mexico’s Pacific zone contributes approximately with 60% of the country’s total ship emissions, with the remaining 40% in Gulf-Caribbean ports. The highest atmospheric emissions were found at the Manzanillo and Lázaro Cárdenas ports on the Pacific coast, as well as the Altamira and Veracruz ports on the Gulf-Caribbean coast. The contribution of the atmospheric emissions by vessel type at Pacific ports was Container 67%, Bulk Carrier 32%, Tanker 0.8%, and RoRo 0.4%. For Gulf-Caribbean ports it was Container 76%, Bulk Carrier 19%, Tanker 3%, and RoRo 2%. This study incorporates the International Maritime Organization implementations on reductions of sulfur content in marine fuel, from 4.5% mass by mass from 2005 to 2011, to 3.5% from 2012 to 2019, to 0.5% beginning in 2020. Overall, sulfur dioxide emissions were reduced by 89%.

Indicators of environmental policies in force in Mexico, fossil fuels will continue to be used in industrial sectors, especially marine fuels, such as marine diesel oil, in port systems for some time. Considering this, we have evaluated several methods corresponding to a top-down system for determining fuel consumption and sulfur dioxide atmospheric emissions for the port of Veracruz in 2020 by type of ship on a daily resolution, considering a sulfur content of 0.5% mass by mass in marine fuel. After analyzing seven methods for determining sulfur dioxide atmospheric emission levels, Goldsworthy’s method was found to be the best option to characterize this port. The port system has two maritime zones, one of which is in expansion, which represented 55.66% of fuel consumption and 23.05% of atmospheric emissions according to the typology of vessels. We found that higher fuel consumption corresponded to container vessels, and tanker vessels represented higher atmospheric emission levels in the berthing position. The main differences that we found in the analysis of the seven methods of the top-down system corresponded to the load factor parameter, main and auxiliary engine power, and estimation of fuel consumption by type of vessel.

In this work, we identify the current atmospheric sulfur dioxide emissions of the Veracruz port, an important Mexican seaport experiencing rapid growth, and its influence on the surrounding areas. Sulfur dioxide emissions based on port activity, as well as meteorology and air quality simulations, are used to assess the impact. It was found that using marine fuel with low sulfur content reduces emissions by 88%. Atmospheric emission estimates based on the bottom-up methodology range from 3 to 7 Mg/year and can negatively impact air quality up to 3 km downwind. After evaluating different characteristics of vessels in CALPUFF, it was found that maximum sulfur dioxide concentrations ranging between 50 and 88 µg/m³ for a 24-h average occurred 500 m from the port. During 2019, five days had unsatisfactory air quality. The combination of a shallow planetary boundary layer, low wind speed, and large atmospheric emissions significantly degraded local air quality.

Atmospheric mercury in the environment as a result of the consumption of fossil fuels, such as coal used in electricity generation, has gained increased attention worldwide because of its toxicity, atmospheric persistence, and bioaccumulation. Determining or predicting the concentration of this pollutant in ambient air is essential for determining sensitive areas requiring health protection. This study investigated the spatiotemporal variability of gaseous elemental mercury (GEM) concentrations and its dry deposition surrounding the Presidente Plutarco Elías Calles (CETEPEC) coal-fired power plant, located on Mexico’s Pacific coast. The CALPUFF dispersion model was applied on the basis of the daily consumption of coal during 2013 for each generating unit in the power plant and considering the local scale. The established 300-ng/m³ annual average risk factor considered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (U.S. DHHS) and Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) must not be exceeded to meet satisfactory air quality levels. An area of 65 × 60 km was evaluated, and the results show that the risk level for mercury vapor was not exceeded because the annual average concentration was 2.8 ng/m³. Although the predicted risk level was not exceeded, continuous monitoring studies of GEM and of particulates in the atmosphere, soil, and water may be necessary to identify the concentration of this pollutant, specifically that resulting from coal-fired power plants operated in environmental areas of interest in Mexico. The dry mercury deposition was low in the study area; according to the CALPUFF model, the annual average was 1.40E−2 ng/m²/sec. These results represent a starting point for Mexico’s government to implement the Minamata Convention on Mercury, which Mexico signed in 2013. Implications: The obtained concentrations of mercury from a bigger coal-fired plant in Mexico, through the application of the CALPUFF dispersion model by the mercury emissions, are below the level recommended according to the US Department of Health and Human Services and Integrated Risk Information System. These results provide evidence of important progress in the planning and installation to the future of monitoring mercury stations in the area of interest.