National authorities use this information to cue patrol aircraft to make an on-site inspection and also to complement airborne surveillance in regions where airborne operations are more difficult or costly. In addition, if an oil discharge is detected and a possible source vessel identified on the basis of AIS data then the national authority can request a Port Inspection at the next destination of this vessel. This represents an increased level of deterrence to ship masters against making illicit discharges. All of these capabilities are fully operational within the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) CleanSeaNet system provided to EU Member States. This covers national waters and adjacent high seas areas subject to international environmental protection agreements. This gives rise to the following benefits: • Optimisation of the deployment of conventional patrol assets. Authorities can be notified of areas identified as being clear of oil and areas where possible oil slicks have been detected, enabling flight hours to be targeted on the areas where they make the most impact • Extension of the surveillance coverage beyond the immediate vicinity of patrolling assets. Limited airborne surveillance can be complemented by satellite overpasses, in particular for areas far away from the aircraft base. There are also benefits associated with offshore oil and gas production and exploration for new reserves – for example: • Offshore oil and gas producers must ensure that an effective pollution detection system is in place but this can be costly and limit interest in more marginal basins. By using satellite based surveillance, costs are reduced, generating wider interest in operating licences for new production areas • Seismic survey is time consuming and the survey vessel must be refuelled every few days. If this is done in port, it results in increased operations costs due to the associated down-time. Many operators request permission to refuel at sea but there is a strong associated risk of significant harm to the marine environment from leakage. In addition, such a process requires the presence of a representative of the national pollution control authority. By using satellite based monitoring, even small amounts of leakage can be detected and the requirement to transfer an observer to the refuelling vessels is avoided. This represents significant cost savings for the pollution control authority as well as requiring less time commitment from the monitoring personnel. |