Page 114 - ΝΑΥΤΙΚΑ ΧΡΟΝΙΚΑ - ΣΕΠΤΕΜΒΡΙΟΣ 2022

INTERNATIONAL WATERS

ports. Fifteen projects, which will incrementally of Gibraltar are again being monitored to check
increase our ports’ throughput capacity by 117 air pollution levels from nitrogen oxide and sul-
million tons currently at the design and con- phur oxide emissions released by passing ships.
struction stage - in addition to the existing port The pollutant data gathered actively supports the
capacity of 300 mln tonnes per year”. monitoring of compliance with existing regulations
and, in doing so, can help to reduce the harmful
effects on human health and the environment.
BLUE ECONOMY Emissions monitoring is one among the several
purposes for which the aircraft can be deployed
within the area of operation; other complementary
tasks include pollution detection, suppression of
UK’S FIRST 100% CARBON NEUTRAL PORT trafficking and smuggling operations, fisheries
The Port of Heysham, part of leading port oper- control, and vessel traffic management.
ator Peel Ports Group, has reduced the carbon The Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS)
emissions of its landside plant, equipment and used is a Camcopter S100 uncrewed helicopter,
vehicles by up to 90%, in what is believed to be which is operated by EMSA’s contractor, Nordic
a first for any UK port. Unmanned. The RPAS is equipped with an emis-
The port has confirmed that all its vehicles, plant sions sensor from the contractor Explicit. This
equipment, forklift trucks, tug masters and ancil- analyses the gas samples taken as the RPAS flies
lary equipment are now operating on electricity through the exhaust plume of the ship’s funnel
or Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO). or stack. Calculations are then made to deter-
Whilst using 100% renewable electricity is the ulti- mine sulphur and nitrogen levels. Indications
mate goal for the port operator, HVO uses plant- of non-compliance can trigger an inspection at
based oils in its composition, which reduces CO2 the next port of call to determine whether an
emissions to the atmosphere by up to 90%, and infringement has occurred.
direct emissions of particulate matter, such as dust, This is the second emissions monitoring campaign
smoke and other fine materials, by up to 65%. HVO to take place in the area, chosen for its proximity
can be substituted directly for diesel fuel and is to busy shipping lanes, within the flight range of
broadly considered a greener option than diesel the aircraft, and the expertise of the personnel
due to its lower NOx emissions. monitoring maritime traffic in the area.
Due to its location in northwest England and prox- Emissions surveillance operations such as these
imity to major industrial clusters, Heysham provides will reinforce the recent approval of the Medi-
a critical and direct gateway to the Republic of terranean Sea as an Εmission Control Area by
Ireland, Northern Ireland, and the Isle of Man. the International Maritime Organization, which is
The Port of Heysham handles a wide range of cargo, expected to come into force in 2025.
including Roll-on Roll-off, agri-bulks, automotive,
project cargo and energy products, and offers sig- THE IMPORTANCE OF THE RHINE IN
nificant warehousing and storage facilities. THE WORLD ECONOMY
Plummeting water levels in Germany’s Rhine
EMSA DRONE OPERATING IN THE River have been causing significant headaches
STRAIT OF GIBRALTAR AREA in European supply chains. The drop in water
FOR MULTIPURPOSE MARITIME levels at the river’s key points has led to reduced
SURVEILLANCE shipping traffic and a reduction in the permitted
EMSA’s remotely piloted aircraft is in operation in weight carried per ship, significantly affecting
the vicinity of the Strait of Gibraltar, providing the Germany’s energy supply chain.
Spanish Ministry of Transport, Mobility and Urban 6,900 river barges transport critical commodities
Agenda with the capacity to monitor sulphur and such as coal, steel, chemicals, fuel, and grain
nitrogen emissions of passing ships. The initiative across the Rhine. In 2020, an estimated 160 mil-
builds on the experience gained during a similar lion tons of goods were shipped along this river.
operation which saw the aircraft’s special sniffer The Rhine’s criticality for Germany’s energy secu-
capabilities for emissions monitoring. While the rity is crucial as the river transports coal to the
Merchant Marine can use the measurements taken country’s power plants.
to check the passing ships’ pollutant compliance, At the same time, the Rhine is also used to
the flights can also be directed to support the transport oil and diesel from the Amster-
Spanish Maritime Safety Agency (SASEMAR) for dam-Rotterdam-Antwerp (ARA) ports to Ger-
search and rescue. many and Switzerland. The disruption of inland
Spanish and international waters around the Strait waterway oil transport puts 400,000 barrels/day

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