4. Assessing industrial ecology in port areas

Port areas are already the subject of environmental and socio-economic assessments, either as a result of regulations or their own initiatives. Numerous studies have highlighted the environmental and health risks generated by the increase and concentration of maritime emissions: in Hong Kong's Pearl River delta, for example, the activity of ships and port operations results in substantial atmospheric pollution and proven risks to human health. In Hong Kong harbor alone, approximately 23,000 container ships and 13,000 other vessels transit the territory every year, generating emissions that can affect the 3.8 million inhabitants