applied sciences Article Impact of Port Clearance on Ships Safety, Energy Consumption and Emissions  
[PERSON],*, [PERSON] and [PERSON]  
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The depth of the channel must be sufficient enough to ensure the safe passage of vessels, including in and out of the ports under difficult conditions, i.e., when the speed of the biggest possible vessel entering the port may be increased by up to 1.3-1.5 times [1; 5; 6]. The maneuvering of vessels in port is subject to external forces such as wind, current, swell and the effects of tugboats, as well as internal influences such as the ship's own speed and the ship's inclination during maneuvering. Thus, all possible influences have to be taken into account when planning the depths of port channels and basins [2; 4; 5; 7]. When planning the depths of port channels and basins, it is also necessary to take into account the processes of sediment accumulation, movement and the possibility of periodic dredging in order to guarantee optimum depths in port channels and basins at all times [4; 8]. When ships are sailing in port approaches and port internal channels at shallow depths, the resistance of the ship's hull increases significantly [3; 5]. To maintain the proper speed of the ship, it is necessary to increase the power of the main engine(s) of the ship [3; 9; 10]. Increasing the power of a ship's main engine(s) significantly increases fuel consumption [11; 12] and, accordingly, generates more emissions [13]. Ports are trying to become \"green ports\"; therefore, the amount of emissions generated from shipping in ports is a very important goal, so it is necessary to follow international and national requirements to reduce emissions from shipping [14; 15; 16]. Air quality in regions and especially in large ports has a significant impact on human health; therefore, the issues of environmental protection and decarbonization of shipping are very important for the quality of life and the economy of countries [17; 18; 19]. People play a very important role in reducing emissions in ports, i.e., the human factor, without which significant results cannot be achieved in any field, including the development of \"green port\" ideas [16; 20]. The main objective of this article is to develop a methodology to determine the required optimal or minimum possible ship clearance in port channels and basins (the space between the ship's hull and the bottom of the port channel) while maintaining the appropriate ship speed and guaranteeing the safety of shipping in port channels (shipping safety is a priority) and to assess the relationship between the ship's clearance and energy (fuel) consumption and emissions.