Port of Algeciras launches Ziday Pilot project to prevent oil spills

11 October 2024

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) reports that most of the 2.1 million tonnes of oil spilled into the sea annually go undetected, mainly due to the limitations of current detection technologies. This issue is particularly significant in port areas, where maritime traffic, oil terminals, hydrocarbon transfer facilities, and bunkering services are concentrated. Effective early warning systems are needed to mitigate the environmental, societal, and economic impacts of these incidents.

In response, the Port Authority of the Bay of Algeciras (APBA) has invested in the Ziday pilot project. This initiative aims to develop an intelligent tool for the early detection and characterization of oil spills, identification of potential polluting vessels, and detection of sewage discharges in the port environment. Furthermore, the pilot project aims to validate a digital management and decision-making support tool for monitoring the marine environment in the Port of Algeciras. This tool uses satellite images to observe the sea surface and identify stains from petroleum spills and sewage discharges. By applying machine learning models to these images, potential spills can be detected and characterized, especially for hydrocarbons. Additionally, integrating Automatic Identification System (AIS) data, which provides the geographical positioning of ships, helps determine the causes of maritime pollution incidents by analysing vessels’ trajectories and manoeuvres.

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