Assessing the Capability of Remote Detection Systems to Identify Oil Slicks in Harbours

Abstract

ABSTRACT In the past, the presence of oil slicks in harbours has been acknowledged as a natural result of ship movement and industrial activity in the area. In recent years, such pollution has become socially and environmentally unacceptable. The most common method of detecting the presence of oil in a harbour is currently the use of marine patrols and visual observations. This is a costly activity, which is not very effective. Harbourmasters and others involved in the operation of major marine facilities have recognized the need for a system that would continuously monitor for the presence of oil on water, and report its location to a central control room. In order to prosecute such violations, the system should be capable of identifying the oil and relating the oil to a specific ship. In the last ten years there have been significant developments in the remote sensing of oil on water in the support of oil-spill response. Such systems have generally been used as airborne packages, which allow the coverage of large areas. For the harbour situation, the area of coverage is fixed permitting the sensors to be mounted on towers. It would be ideal if the system had coverage similar to that of existing Vessel Traffic Systems (VTS). This paper will examine the applicability of using existing and proven oil-spill detection systems for harbours.