International Journal of Advanced Research in Engineering and Technology

(IJARET)
Volume 6, Issue 9, Sep 2015, pp. 14-25, Article ID: IJARET_06_09_003
Available online at
http://www.iaeme.com/IJARET/issues.asp?JType=IJARET&VType=6&IType=9
ISSN Print: 0976-6480 and ISSN Online: 0976-6499
IAEME Publication
___________________________________________________________________________

AIR POLLUTION IN PORTS AND ITS

EFFECT ON CARGO OPERATION (ALEX
HARBOUR AS CASE OF STUDY)
Tamer Elgohary
Civil Engineering Dept., Canadian international college, New Cairo, Egypt
Moussa S. El-Bisy
Civil Engineering Dept., Higher Technological Institute, 10th of Ramadan City, Egypt
ABSTRACT
Harbor labor health and their efforts rate is one of the major factors that
affect on cargo operation and its development plans, Labors health can be
affected by many factors such as oxygen lake in surrounding atmosphere due
to air pollution which cause many health problems such as respiratory system
diseases and the weakness of their mutation system. All the previous lead us to
the conclusion that we should control these factors before establishing any
harbor development plans by investigating the surrounding atmosphere and
establishing assessment technique and monitoring system to avoid its serious
negative effects. This research aimed to find the relation between sulfur
dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide and suspended particulate matter
existing in air and Alex harbor labors efforts rate in order to find the exact
recommendations for avoiding such problem and to construct reliable
monitoring system for it.
Key words: Air Pollution, Ports, Cargo Operation, Alex Harbor, Dekhila Port.
Cite this Article: Tamer Elgohary and Moussa S. El-Bisy. Air Pollution In
Ports and Its Effect On Cargo Operation (Alex Harbour As Case of Study).
International Journal of Advanced Research in Engineering and Technology,
6(9), 2015, pp. 14-25.
http://www.iaeme.com/IJARET/issues.asp?JType=IJARET&VType=6&IType=9

1. INTRODUCTION
The dry air of Egypt and the prevailing inactive winds almost the year increase the air
pollution due the lake of precipitation occurrence. Also the surrounding desert which
contribute almost 90% of Egypt surface area increase the air content of dust.
The increasing of development plans, industrial projects and road vehicles leads to
the increasing of air pollution due to the different gases emissions, Air pollution affect
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Air Pollution In Ports and Its Effect On Cargo Operation (Alex Harbour As Case of Study)

on people health and on work rate in negative way. Many diseases were recorded due
to air pollution such as respiratory system diseases, heart problems and lung cancer.
A comprehensive study was achieved to correlate the relation between harbor
labor effort rate and the air pollution different elements such as sulfur dioxide,
nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide and suspended particulate matter ( Alex harbor as
case of study).
To understand which air pollution source has the most significant effect on labor
effort rate and cargo operation. So in order to achieve that we have first to study each
source of air pollution sources individually to find its serious effect on health and
labor effort rate in form of cargo operation progress. Air pollutants in Egypt are
monitored by the National Network for Monitoring Air Pollutants (NNMAP).
NNMAP has 54 stations covering most of the regions exposed to air pollution hazards
to monitor Sulphur Dioxide (SO2), Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2), Carbon Monoxide (CO)
and Particulate Matter PM10 as shown in fig (1). The network was initially
established in 1999 to cope with the progressive increase in the sources of
pollution[1].Ministry of State for Environmental Affairs regularly upgrades NNMAP
within the framework of a comprehensive system, observing international standards
of air pollutant monitoring systems and published the stations records data in annual
reports[2], Through these records and by the help of Alexandria port statistics data we
could find the relation between air pollution sources and labor harbor effort rate in
form of cargo operation progress.

Figure 1 National Network for Monitoring Air Pollutants (Delta region)

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Tamer Elgohary and Moussa S. El-Bisy

2. TYPES OF AIR POLLUTION SOURCES

2.1. Sulfur Dioxide (SO2)
Short term exposure to high level of sulfur dioxide cause health problems. Long term
exposure to high level of sulfur dioxide cause lung function changes. Short term
exposure to low level of sulfur dioxide affect on animal ability to breathe.

2.2. Nitrogen dioxide (NO2)

Combustion of liquid petroleum fuel under high temperature cause the formation of
nitrogen dioxide. Low level of nitrogen dioxide can cause eyes irritation, lungs
problems, shortness of breath and nausea. Exposure to high level of nitrogen dioxide
can cause rapid buning, spasms, reducing of oxygenation of body tissues and building
up fluids in lung to cause death at the end, it also burns shin and eyes.

2.3. carbon monoxide (CO)

Fuel burning in viechles engines, power stations, factories emissions and burning of
rice straws. The high level of carbon monoxide in air can cause body to replace
oxygen in red blood cells by carbon monoxide and at the end cause death. Exposing to
low level of carbon mono oxide can cause headache , dizziness, weakness, upset
stomach, vomiting, confusion and chest pain.

2.4. Suspended particulate matter (MP10)

Suspended particulate matter (MP10) is caused by air dust which come from
surrounding dessert. It also can be caused by burning of fossil fuel, factories
emissions and rice straws burning. Suspended particulate matter( MP10) have the
ability to penetrate deep into lungs and blood causing permanent DNA mutation , lung
cancer and heart attacks. Ambient Air Quality Limit values as given by Law no.4 for
Egypt (1994) compared to the World Health Organization (WHO) air quality
guideline values is shown in Table (1).

3. DEFICIENCY OF OXYGEN
The oxygen deficiency affect on human body in very negative way such as increasing
levels of hemoglobin as a result of oxygen poor blood. This can thicken the blood and
impair its ability to flow easily.

Figure 2 O2 Deficit and its effect on muscles

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Air Pollution In Ports and Its Effect On Cargo Operation (Alex Harbour As Case of Study)

The arteries that carry blood from the heart into the lungs sense low oxygen levels
and constrict to direct blood to more normal areas of the lung. This causes pressure in
the pulmonary arteries to rise. The heart responds by dilating and contracting
ineffectively, eventually causing the heart to fail. A common warning sign of this
condition is edema or swelling of the legs [3]. The effect of oxygen deficit in air on
muscles efforts can be shown in fig (2).
Table 1 Ambient Air Quality Limit values as given by Law no.4 for Egypt (1994) compared
to the World Health Organization (WHO) air quality guideline values.
Averaging
time
1 hour
24 hours
Year
1 hour
24 hours
Year
1 hour
8 hours
1 hour
8 hours
24 hours
Year
24 hours
Year
24 hours
Year

Pollutant
Sulphur Dioxide (SO2)

Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2)

Ozone (O3)
Carbon Monoxide (CO)
Black Smoke (BS)
Total Suspended Particles (TSP)
Particles <10 ppm (PM10)
Lead (Pb)

Maximum Limit Value

WHO
Egypt
500 (10 min)
350
125
150
50
60
200
400
150
40-50
150-200
200
120
120
30 000
30 000
10 000
10 000
50
150
60
230
90
70
70
0.5-1,0
1

3.2. Alex harbor description

Figure 3 Alexandia port map

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Tamer Elgohary and Moussa S. El-Bisy

The City of Alexandria is located at the west end of the River Nile between the
Mediterranean Sea and Mariot Lake. It is considered the second most important city
and the main port in Egypt, it handles over three quarters of Egypts foreign trade.
Alexandria port consists of two harbors (East and west) separated by a T-shaped
peninsula. The East harbor is shallow and is not used in navigation. The West harbor
is used for commercial shipping. The harbor is formed by two converging
breakwaters.
Alex Harbour as shown in Fig(3) is consists of two ports which are Alexandria
Port and El-Dekheila Port, Alexandria Port water Surface is of 6.8 km2 and its Land
Surface is of 16 km2, It consists of 67 Berths of total length 10600 m. and its depths
ranges from 8.5 - 16 m which cover hinter land of 1650000 m2 including
administrative buildings & stores.
El-Dekheila Port water Surface is of 2.74 km2 and its Land Surface is of 3.5 km2 ,
It consists of 14 Berths of total length 7200 m. and its depths ranges from 10 - 20 m
which cover hinter land of 3500000 m2 including administrative buildings & external
area[4].

3.2. Port operation data

Port Traffic during 1/1/2014 to 30/6/2014 , Ships and cargo traffic in Alexandria and
El Dekhila ports 2014 can be shown from table (2) to table (3) and from fig (4) to fig
(6) [5].
a. Types of Ships
Ports different types of ships passing through it can be shown from table (2).
Table2 Types of ships
Arrival

The Ratio of arrival to

%the total

Gen. Cargo ships without containers

599

26

Dry Bulk ships

343

15

Liquid Bulk ships

291

13

Container ships

793

34

Ferries

207

Cruises

Others

93

Total

2327

100

Type of the ship

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Air Pollution In Ports and Its Effect On Cargo Operation (Alex Harbour As Case of Study)

Arrival , Cruises, 1
Arrival , Gen. Cargo
ships with out
containers, 599

Arrival , RORO, 207

Arrival , Container ships,

793
Arrival , Dry Bulk ships,
343

Arrival , Liquid Bulk

Gen. Cargo ships with out containersships, 291

Dry Bulk ships

Liquid Bulk ships

Container ships

RORO

Cruises

Figure 4 Ship types in Alex harbor during 1/1/2014 to 30/6/2014

b. Handled cargo
Handled cargo during 1/1/2014 to 30/6/2014 that can be shown in table (3) and in fig
(5).
TABLE 3 Handled cargo during 1/1/2014 to 30/6/2014
Item

Imp.

Gen. Cargo
Dry Bulk cargo
Liquid Bulk cargo
Total of non containerized cargo
Non containerized general cargo
Total

3262068
13648549
3230750
18141367
4617793
22760160

Exp.

Total

515012
426689
1227887
2169588
3153130
5322718

3777080
12075238
4458637
20310955
7771923
28082878

Ratio of the total

13
43
16
72
28
100

30000000

25000000

20000000

15000000

10000000

5000000

0
Non containerized
cargo

Dry Bulk cargo

Liquid Bulk cargo

Total

Total of non
containerized cargo

Imp.

Non containerized
general cargo

TOTAL

Exp.

Figure 5 Handled cargo in Alex port

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Tamer Elgohary and Moussa S. El-Bisy

900000
800000
700000
600000
500000
400000
300000
200000
100000
0
Imp.

Exp.

Local

Total

Transit

Total

Figure 6 Containers Traffic in El Dekhila port

3.3. Containers Traffic

Handled containers in Alexandria and El Dekhila ports during 1/1/2014 to 30/6/2014
show in table (4) and in fig (6).
Table 4 Handled containers in Alexandria and El Dekhila ports during 1/1/2014 to 30/6/2014
Item
Local
Transit
Total

Imp.
4488633
130160
4618793

Exp.
3025495
127635
3153130

Total
7514128
257795
7771923

Ratio of the Total %

97
3
100

Relations between labor harbor efforts and air pollution

Relations between labor harbor efforts and air pollution during 1/1/2014 to 30/6/2014
can be shown from fig (7) to fig (14).
30
25

SO2
microgram/m3

20
15
10
5
0
2500

2700

2900

3100

3300

3500

3700

3900

Handling rate
Ton/day

Figure 7 Relation between SO2 and daily handling rate in Alex port

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Air Pollution In Ports and Its Effect On Cargo Operation (Alex Harbour As Case of Study)

30
SO2
microgram/m3

25
20
15
10
5
0
1500

1550

1600

1650

1700

1750

1800

1850

Handling rate
ton/day

Figure 8 Relation between SO2 and daily handling rate in Dekhila port
35
30

NO2
microgram/m3

25
20
15
10
5
0
1500

1550

1600

1650

1700

1750

1800

1850

Handling rate
Ton/day

NO2
microgram/m3

Figure 9 Relation between NO2 and daily handling rate in Alex port
50
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
3500

3600

3700

3800

3900

4000

Handling rate
Ton/day

Figure 10 Relation between SO2 and daily handling rate in Dekhila port

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Tamer Elgohary and Moussa S. El-Bisy

MP10
microgram/m3

200
150
100
50
0
1500

1550

1600

1650

1700

1750

1800

1850

Handling rate
Ton/day

Figure 11 Relation between MP10 and daily handling rate in Alex port

MP10
microgram/m3

200
150
100
50
0
2500

2700

2900

3100

3300

3500

3700

3900

Handling rate
Ton/day

Figure 12 Relation between MP10 and daily handling rate in Dekhila port
14

Co
microgram/m3

12
10
8
6
4
2
0
1500

1550

1600

1650

1700

1750

1800

1850

Handling rate
Ton/day

Figure 13 Relation between CO and daily handling rate in Alex port

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Air Pollution In Ports and Its Effect On Cargo Operation (Alex Harbour As Case of Study)

14

CO
microgram/m3

12
10
8
6
4
2
0
2500

2700

2900

3100

3300

3500

3700

3900

handling rate
( ton/day)

Figure 14 Relation between CO and daily handling rate in Dekhila port

4. RESULT ANALYSIS
As shown from fig (7) to fig (8) the rate of handling for both Alexandria and Dekhila
harbor is decreasing with the increasing of SO2 due the reason that Acute effects of
SO2 to high levels can possibly burn the skin and eyes and may result in permanent
eye damage. High levels may also cause pulmonary edema pulmonary edema (when
the lungs fill up with fluid). This is a true medical emergency since oxygen cannot get
through the fluid so the person may die. S02 can also cause the airway passages in the
lung to narrow resulting in wheezing, chest tightness, or breathing problems." SO2
has caused severe airways obstruction, hypoxemia (insufficient oxygenation of the
blood).
As shown from fig (9) to fig (10) the rate of handling for both Alexandria and
Dekhila harbor is decreasing with the increasing of NO2 due the reason that The
nitrogen gas dissolves slightly in the blood and circulates around the body harmlessly.
Under pressure however the amount dissolved nitrogen increases. If the
decompression is slow and careful, the dissolved nitrogen comes out of the body
fluids and can be removed through the lungs, but, if decompression is too rapid, the
'bends' causes great pain and even death. This decompression sickness is caused by
bubbles of nitrogen rapidly coming out of solution in the bloodstream, That cause
injury and death by depriving the body of oxygen.
As shown from fig (11) to fig (12) the rate of MP10 for both Alexandria and
Dekhila harbor is increasing with the increasing of hand ling rate due the reason that
one of the main sources of MP10 in harbor air is the dust and the minute particles
which is come out from cargo and shipment handling inside ports and the reversible
effects of MP10 on health is long term effects not short one so its effects on health
will take years to be significant.
As shown from fig (13) to fig (14) the rate of handling for both Alexandria and
Dekhila harbor is decreasing with the increasing of CO due the reason that CO2 is 24
times more soluble than O2 in water. Thus, the oxygen content of blood in the
presence of carbon monoxide is much lower.

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Tamer Elgohary and Moussa S. El-Bisy

5. CONCLUSIONS
It was noticed that in both Alexandria port and Dekhila port the following facts:
1.

2.

MP 10 is increased with daily handling rate and that because of the fact that
MP 10 is caused by mostly the cargo dust, its effect on labor health is taking
much time longer to be noticed in their performance.
Daily handling rate is decreased with the increasing of CO , SO2 and No2
and that is due to the following reasons:

Humans breathe nitrogen in and out of their lungs all the time, without any serious
side effects. The nitrogen gas dissolves slightly in the blood and circulates around the
body harmlessly. Under pressure however the amount dissolved nitrogen increases. If
the decompression is slow and careful, the dissolved nitrogen comes out of the body
fluids and can be removed through the lungs, but, if decompression is too rapid, the
'bends' causes great pain and even death. This decompression sickness is caused by
bubbles of nitrogen rapidly coming out of solution in the bloodstream, That cause
injury and death by depriving the body of oxygen.
b- Acute effects of S02 to high levels can possibly burn the skin and eyes and may
result in permanent eye damage. High levels may also cause pulmonary edema
pulmonary edema (when the lungs fill up with fluid). This is a true medical
emergency since oxygen cannot get through the fluid so the person may die.S02 can
also cause the airway passages in the lung to narrow resulting in wheezing, chest
tightness, or breathing problems." SO2 has caused severe airways obstruction,
hypoxemia (insufficient oxygenation of the blood).
CO2 is 24 times more soluble than O2 in water. Thus, the oxygen content of blood in
the presence of carbon monoxide is much lower.

6. RECOMMENDATIONS
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

6.
7.

Decreasing the percentage of sulfur dioxide, Carbon monoxide, Nitrogen

dioxide, suspended solids, leads and black smoke in Alexandria port air.
Constructing monitoring system inside Alexandria port to detect any air
composition changes and to give recommendations to avoid such problem.
Establishing especial legislations and rules for ports to give more control of
ship engines fuel combustion.
Activate the environmental Law no.4 for Egypt (1994) to control surrounding
urban and industrial area emissions which contribute in ports air pollution.
Create strong medical insurance system in order to cover all labors in all port
sectors to provide annual a comprehensive health examination which will
give good a alert for any common Epidemiological phenomena.
A study of water pollution effect on labor health and also on cargo handling
operation inside Alexandria port.
A study of soil pollution effect on food chain and on labor health which will
give significant reflect on cargo handling operation inside Alexandria port.

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Air Pollution In Ports and Its Effect On Cargo Operation (Alex Harbour As Case of Study)

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