EMEA News
Denmark Commits Further Funding to Drone ECA Enforcement
The Danish Environmental Protection Agency will allocate an additional $100,000 towards IT and engineering company Explicit's emissions monitoring drone project to develop new sensors capable of sensing nitrogen oxides (NOx), bringing total investment from the EPA up to $280,000.
Explicit's current self-guided "sniffer drones" are already capable of sensing sulfur emissions, and are designed to seek out ships during cruise, measure their sulfur emissions and then report back in real time.
"In the case of sulfur enforcement drones are one of the few technologies available to ensure that regulations can be properly implemented and pollution levels reduced," said Jon Knudsen, CEO of Explicit.
Denmark has also stepped up its efforts to patrol emissions in light of upcoming Emission Control Areas (ECA) which come into effect January 1, 2015.
Beginning next year, marine fuel used in ECAs cannot have sulfur content exceeding 0.10 percent by weight.
$1.27 million has already been allocated by the Danish government in the coming year towards monitoring emissions.
The new funding for the drones is currently set for 2015.
Explicit's drones were also one of 10 finalists in this year's Ocean Exchange innovation contest, and are also supported by the Danish Maritime Agency and the Danish Ship Owner's Association.
They are currently being tested together with FORCE Technology A/S.
Recently-formed industry group Trident Alliance has also expressed its support of drones, which they see as a more effective enforcement mechanism.
