Belgium hopes emissions sensor will improve North Sea emissions
The Ministry of Mobility and Transport hopes the new sensor at Zeebrugge will deter ships from breaking emissions rules
The sensor has been designed by the Royal Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy to monitor ships’ emissions as they pass, which will then better target traditional methods of inspection
A NEW sensor installed at Zeebrugge, Belgium, will monitor the emissions of passing ships to ensure vessels are adhering to emissions rules.
The sensor has been developed by the Royal Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy after being commissioned by Belgium’s Minister of the North Sea, Paul Van Tigchelt.
An emissions control area was first set up in the North Sea in 1997 to control SOx emissions, before NOx emissions were also added in 2021.
To check that vessels are complying, Belgian authorities either inspect vessels while in port, or fly aircraft through exhaust plumes to monitor their emissions. Both, the ministry said, were very time-consuming and mean not all vessels could be checked.
The sensor, temporarily mounted on the traffic control centre of the Scheldt radar chain in Zeebrugge, can monitor vessels passing up to 10 km away, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Should a vessel exceed the ECA limits, the Director General of Shipping will be notified and more targeted monitoring can follow — for example, aircraft deployed or inspections scheduled.
“Our country already uses a special sniffer aircraft to check whether the 200,000 ships that cross our waters each year do not emit too much sulphur or nitrogen,” Van Tigchelt said.
“The aircraft flies through the emissions plume of the ships, which makes us unique in the world. But we cannot check all ships with this, so we want to continue to innovate.
“With new techniques, such as this sensor, we will soon be able to check ships heading to our ports 24/7.
“This test project in Zeebrugge proves once again that Belgium is leading the way in the fight against climate change, thanks to our innovative companies and top experts."
Belgian authorities hope the sensor will act as a deterrent to vessels breaking the emissions rules, as detection is now more likely. In addition, it will collect data on which substances are emitted most and how much of an impact shipping is having on coastal pollution.
The sensor would be moved and fixed to a wind facility at sea, the ministry said.
