North Sea aerial surveillance in 2022

In 2022, the aerial surveillance team of the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences realised 244 flight hours over the North Sea. 19 cases of operational marine pollution from ships were observed, two involving oil and 17 other harmful substances. Suspicious sulphur levels were measured in the smoke plumes of 47 ships and suspicious nitrogen levels on 35 ships. The aircraft successfully participated in an internationally coordinated surveillance mission of the offshore oil and gas installations and an international chemical pollution detection mission. Furthermore, two seasonal marine mammal surveys were carried out, and the aircraft realised several 'on call' flights that included support to rescue transmigrants at sea. Navigation violations, entering prohibited zones and sailing without the mandatory automatic identification system were reported more in 2022 than before.

The majority of flight hours were national flights (220 hours). Of these, 211.5 hours were performed in the context of the Belgian Coast Guard. Pollution control came convincingly first (164 hours), with both monitoring of discharges of oil, other harmful substances and waste into the water (MARPOL Annex I, II and V respectively) and monitoring of sulphur and nitrogen emissions from ships into the air (enforcement of MARPOL Annex VI). Fisheries monitoring was also covered (42.5 hours on behalf of the Flemish Sea Fisheries Service), the aircraft was called up several times to verify marine pollution, to support transmigration rescue operations in French waters, and to locate lost Search-and-Rescue equipment (3 hours), and two hours of air support was provided during pollution control exercises. 8.5 hours were devoted to marine mammal monitoring.

International flights under the Bonn Agreement accounted for 24 flight hours in 2022 (see below: a Tour d'horizon mission and participation in the MANIFESTS Sea Trials).

Two operational oil spills were identified in 2022, confirming the decreasing trend of the last decade (see graph). The first, very weathered, oil spill was observed at the estuary of the Western Scheldt in Dutch waters. The oil slick was not combatable and could not be linked to a polluter. The second oil slick was more limited and was observed in the Westhinder Anchorage area. It appeared to be linked to a bulk carrier at anchor. However, a check at sea by the Maritime Police revealed no new elements that could confirm the suspicion of infringement.

In contrast to oil pollution, other noxious liquid substances are still a common problem, even on a slight upward trend (see graph). Although these are often, but not always, authorised ship discharges in accordance with international discharge standards, stricter discharge standards have been in force since 2021. This is particularly so for so-called 'persistent floaters' such as paraffin-like substances. However, no violations were detected on these in 2022.

The measurement of sulphur emissions has already been part of the programme since 2016. In order to monitor the strict sulphur limits that apply to ship fuel in the North Sea Emission Control Area (ECA), 61 sniffer flights (for a total of 91 hours) were carried out by the aircraft in 2022 over the Belgian monitoring area. Of the 965 ships whose sulphur emissions were measured, 47 had a suspiciously high sulphur content. These ships were duly reported to the relevant maritime inspection services and 13 were subsequently inspected on shore.

Thanks to the successful integration of a NOx sensor in 2020, MUMM's aircraft can also measure the concentration of nitrogen compounds (NOx) in the exhaust plumes of ships in order to monitor and enforce the stricter limits that apply from 1 January 2021 in the North Sea Emission Control Area. Belgium has thus become the first country ready to monitor these stricter restrictions. Of the 963 ships for which nitrogen emissions were monitored in 2022, 35 suspicious values were reported.

Since 2021, a new sensor has been added to the sniffer set-up, namely the black carbon sensor. This sensor measures the amount of black carbon in the exhaust plumes of ships, which is a measure for the soot concentration. The soot concentration of 182 ships was measured in 2022. When exceptionally high soot concentrations are measured, the competent maritime port authorities are asked to take a sample of the fuel used. In 2023, these fuel samples will be analysed in the OD Nature laboratories in Ostend.

Depuis 2021, un nouveau capteur de carbone noir a été ajouté à la configuration du renifleur. Ce capteur mesure le carbone noir, qui est une mesure de la concentration de suie dans les émissions des navires. La concentration en suie de 182 navires a été mesurée en 2022. Dans le cas de mesures de concentrations de suie exceptionnellement élevées, les autorités portuaires maritimes compétentes sont invitées à prélever un échantillon du carburant utilisé. En 2023, ces échantillons de carburant seront analysés dans le laboratoire éco-chimique de l’IRSNB.

From 30 May to 2 June, the Belgian air surveillance participated in the international MANIFESTS Sea Trials for the detection of chemical pollution in Brittany (France). Participation in such exercises is crucial as pollution by substances other than oil appears to be increasing in frequency (see above), a large number of different chemicals are transported, each with a specific behaviour at sea, and regulations are very complex. During the MANIFESTS Sea Trials, various sensors on ships and flying units were tested at sea for their ability to identify different substances. The Belgian aerial surveillance aircraft made a constructive contribution, on which scientists can further optimise the sensors to better monitor chemical discharges in the future.

The mission in Brittany was combined with air emission monitoring at the border of the Emission Control Area, located at the entrance to the English Channel. Among other things, ships here have to switch to low-sulphur fuels. Sixty-two were checked, 18 of them in the immediate vicinity of the ECA border. Six of these 18 ships showed suspicious sulphur levels, and two high NOx emissions. These preliminary results illustrate that more monitoring at the ECA border is needed to improve MARPOL Annex VI enforcement.

Extended maritime surveillance in the framework of the Coast Guard

Within the framework of the cooperation within the Belgian Coast Guard, the surveillance aircraft also contributes to broader missions of enforcement of maritime regulations and safety at sea. For example, in 2022, air operators reported 46 navigation violations to the Coast Guard Centre and the Directorate-General of Shipping (FPS Mobility and Transport). These mainly involved vessels 'ghost sailing' or anchoring in shipping lanes. As this type of infringement is on the rise, resulting in an increased risk of collisions, DG Shipping has been providing specific legal follow-up since January 2023.