Denmark’s Explicit has receive recognition and extra funding for its “sniffer” UAS, produced to monitor sulphur emissions from ships. The company was one of only ten finalists at the 2014 Ocean Exchange innovation contest in Savannah, Georgia.
The company has also received $100,000 in extra finding from the Danish EPA, which Ocean Exchange says highlights “the urgent need for strong enforcement initiatives with new sulphur limits on ship emissions only a few months away.”
The Explicit “sniffer” drone uses a self-guided system which seeks out ships during cruise, measures sulphur emissions and reports back in real time.
“To have global innovation networks like Ocean Exchange recognise the potential in drones for environmental purposes is a huge motivation. In the case of sulphur enforcement drones are one of the few technologies available to ensure that regulations can be properly implemented and pollution levels reduced,” says Jon Knudsen, CEO of Explicit.
The Danish government recently announced an annual budget of $1.27 million which will be dedicated to monitoring emissions.
The Trident Alliance, a coalition of shipping owners and operators who are working to ensure the robust enforcement of maritime sulphur regulations, has also come out in support of the new drone. “The shipping industry’s most impactful regulation ever will take effect in just two months. It is of great concern that the authorities are underprepared in terms of funding, manpower and legal readiness to enforce effectively. This scenario can quickly distort the competitive balance in the industry while simultaneously harming health and environmental interests,” says Roger Strevens, chairman of the Trident Alliance.
The “sniffer” drone is being tested together with FORCE Technology A/S and is backed by the Danish Ship Owner’s Association and the Danish Maritime Agency.
Source: MT