EMSA drone to monitor ship emissions at Port of Barcelona
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by Admin
The European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) on Thursday (18 July) said its Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems Services (RPAS) is supporting Spanish authorities in the Port of Barcelona with emissions monitoring this summer.
The specially equipped RPAS is being used to measure exhaust plumes from ships, helping ensure compliance with EU and IMO regulations on sulphur content in marine fuels.
“Data from the RPAS is fed into the THETIS-EU platform, managed by EMSA, which records and exchanges the results of individual compliance verifications performed by Member States under the Sulphur Directive,” it said in a social media post.
“This can trigger follow-up inspections of individual vessels.”
EMSA said nearly a quarter of all maritime trade in Spain flows through the Port of Barcelona, which is one of the largest commercial and industrial centres in the Mediterranean region.
“As well as emissions monitoring, the RPAS can help port authorities to detect issues like oil spills and floating debris in the port’s internal waters, anchorage area and North and South access channels,” it added.
Photo credit: European Maritime Safety Agency
Published: 23 July, 2024
