EMEA News
Finland Trials "Sniffer Buoy" to Monitor Sulfur Regs Compliance
Trials of a "sniffer bouy" are underway in Finland as part of efforts to enforce marine fuel sulfur regulations.
The trial began at the end of May with the pilot period running until autumn 2020.
The bouy is located in the Finnish west coast archipelago outside Turku and Naantali.
Developed by Finnish companies Meritaito Ltd and Kine Robot Solutions Ltd, the device "sniffs" air pollution particles from passing vessels' exhaust fumes to assess compliance levels, and uses AIS data to identify the vessel.
The Buoy uses solar power and requires no other infrastructure for operation, so can theoretically be placed anywhere.
This gives it an advantage over existing fixed "sniffer" technology such as the units attached to bridges, as it allows for repositioning to adjust to seasonal winds or changes in vessel operation routes.
"Several nations and significant merchant harbors still lack an automatized emission monitoring strategy. This product could prove to be the missing piece," says Kimmo Salonen, technology director at Kine Robot Solutions.
