Moreover, emissions in ports stem from other sources, such as port operations (e.g., cargo handling, towing, fuel storage, and bunkering) or even other industrial activities (directly or indirectly linked to transport, e.g., fisheries) taking place within the port area. Additionally, ports are frequently situated near industrial zones, making it crucial to possess an accurate and, where possible, real-time understanding of the types, origins, and intensity of pollutant and noise emissions generated in and around a port area.

To address all these highlighted issues, proposals are expected to undertake all the following R&I activities:

• Map high emission activities and demonstrate port, coastal, inland and open sea monitoring techniques for at least NOx, BC, N2O, UFP, NH3, CH4,, PM as well as PN and NMVOC (or any other related pollutants), during normal operation of ships which includes dynamic engine loads of all ship types (including port service vessels) and suitable for zero carbon fuels, dual-fuel engines and carbon capture. All the emission measurements should be integrated through static and remote sensing in order to share data;
• Demonstration of the developed measuring technologies in 6 different TEN-T ports, (of which 3 Core and 3 Comprehensive ports, covering at least three sea basins of the Black, Mediterranean, North Sea, N. Atlantic and Baltic Seas). Out of these 6 ports at least one should be classified as a TEN-T inland-waterway only port according to Annex II of the TEN-T Regulation. At least one of the ports should be situated in a city participating in the Cities Mission and activities should feed into the implementation of the Climate City Contract (CCC), with abatement measures and port-city collaborative governance approaches to match or enhance CCC commitments. The selection of ports should be such as to cover a wide range of emission profiles and take into consideration the complexity of emission sources in order to ensure that the outcome is representative and can be replicated to other ports;
• Identify, differentiate and measure in real time at or near possible sources of emissions (e.g., individual vessel, specific port operations, industrial installations within and very close to the port area) under complex (geographical, layout, mixed space uses and other) conditions and variable weather conditions. The calibration of the measurement systems and the reproducibility of the results should be demonstrated;
• Development of a methodology for assessing pollution within the port area including emissions from all transport modes, port operations and industries located in the port area;
• Identify the impact of emissions in ports and nearby cities and propose mitigating measures and plans for municipalities and port authorities, including ports in which municipalities are not directly involved in the management of port authorities and terminals;
• Development of Real-Time Decision Support Systems (RT DSS) for ships, onboard ship operations, ship operators to look into data collected to enable port and maritime authorities to make decisions about rebates;
• Development of harmonised monitoring techniques and an automatic reporting and verification system solution helping shipowners to comply with current and future EU and international regulation as well as public authorities to monitor and control emissions from the data exchanged;
• Harmonise/standardise monitoring techniques and reporting (taking also into consideration the CountEmissions EU rules) with the potential to be used for legal prosecution; develop recommendations for improved certification and testing for real world situations;
• Increase evidence to feed pool of data for regulated and non-regulated pollutants from vessels;
• Identify pollutants from new fuels used for shipping decarbonisation;
• Develop protocol(s) for the measurement of BC, UFP, and PN from vessels;
• Develop engine testing methods to better mimic real-world emissions and propose a vessel grading system methodology with respect to its emissions comparable to EURO classification of road vehicles.

Proposals should demonstrate how they will engage with authorities and local communities in disseminating results in proportion to their expected impacts. Relevant authorities include the European Commission, the Bonn Agreement, Helcom, the IMO, and national, regional, and local competent authorities etc. while local communities are primarily, but not limited to, major port cities and coastal areas in the EU.