“In 2020, new international shipping regulations drastically cut sulfur emissions from ships, leading to a sharp reduction in the formation of bright, reflective clouds known as ‘ship tracks.’ These clouds had been playing a subtle but significant role in cooling the planet by reflecting sunlight back into space. In a new study published in Geophysical Research Letters, researchers show that there has been a slight warming effect since these regulations were implemented, particularly in the Northern Hemisphere, raising concerns that the changes in shipping practices might be inadvertently accelerating global warming,” reported the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climate Program Office (NOAA-CPO) in August 2024.
Now, a more recent study conducted by a Florida State University research team has not only confirmed that finding, but also found that even small shifts in shipping routes can affect the atmosphere.
The team studied the effects of the rerouting of shipping due to the closure of the Red Sea route because of the ongoing military conflict in that region. Their report was published in Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics online publication of the European Geosciences Union.
The results of the study “showed that new fuel regulations that cut sulfur by about 80% also lowered cloud droplet formation by about 67% compared with earlier, dirtier fuels.”
