Investigating Shipping Pollution Violations

1. Investigating Shipping Pollution Violations Pacific Module 10: Detection of Illegal Discharges

2. Aim • To provide information on surveillance systems in detecting shipping pollution incidents

3. Module Overview • General • Reporting Pollution Procedures • Shore-based Surveillance • Specialised programs • Vessel Surveillance • Aerial Surveillance • Satellite Surveillance • Vessel Tracking Systems

4. Pollution Reporting Procedures • Most Countries have a system for receiving pollution reports • Reports of pollution incidents received by an Authority • Reports from the polluting ship (MARPOL) • Other vessels (sight pollution at sea) • Aerial surveillance or civil aviation • General public • Whistleblower allegations • Satellite remote sensing • Maritime casualty (grounding, collision etc) • Port State Control inspections • Referrals from port or coastal States

6. Shore-based Surveillance • Some countries have regular beach surveillance programs • Can detect “mystery spills” that are out at sea or have come ashore

7. Specialised Surveillance Programs • Dedicated surveillance programs both for pollution and other issues (customs, security, illegal drug activity, illegal immigration illegal fishing, pollution etc) • Maritime areas are targeted for surveillance (electronic or visual) utilising • Vessels • Aircraft

8. Vessel Surveillance • Countries may use government authorised vessels to conduct routine surveillance over the area of jurisdiction • This presence is a deterrent value • Obtain pollution samples from the sea

9. Vessel Surveillance • Overall effectiveness of vessel surveillance for pollution detection is generally constrained by various factors: • Restricted by angle of observation, operational range, response time and stealth capability

10. Aerial Surveillance • Aerial operations provide extremely effective platforms for detecting oil discharges • Highly manoeuvrable • Extensive range • Fast response time • High stealth factor • Pollution detection • Visual observations • Specialised aircraft sophisticated instrumentation capability Side Looking Airborne Radar), IR/UV Line Scanner

11. Oil Visibility at Sea • Legally discharge oily mixtures less than 15 parts of oil to one million parts of water (ppm) • Internationally accepted that an oily mixture with a concentration of 15 ppm cannot be observed visually or with remote sensing equipment • First traces that can be visually observed 50ppm • IMO MEPC Resolution 61(34)

12. Visibility of oil at sea

13. Aerial surveillance

14. Aerial Visual Observations • Experienced and trained observers • Provide information about the oil slick • Location and Size • Appearance • Coverage • Take photographic or video imagery • Use of international/national guidelines for observations

15. Aerial Imagery Parameters • Photographs and video imagery should be taken: • at a recorded altitude • sun over shoulder (not into the sun) • positioned above the slick • Optimum incidence angle is usually ~30° • Comprehensive notes are essential • using common terminology and recognized descriptions

16. Aerial observation of oil • Appearance of oil described in terms of texture, colour, appearance • Windrows • Pancakes • Streamers • Single mass or patches • Rainbow or silver sheen • Black or brown (or other colour) • Hydrocarbon appearance

17. Bonn Agreement Oil Appearance Code

18. Aerial Imagery as Evidence ● Observer needs to provide a Witness Statement and attach all relevant imagery • Images should to be analysed by an independent expert • Could be the observer or an independent person

19. Satellite Surveillance • Satellite based sensors are a reliable tool to provide surveillance over vast areas of ocean or within harbour confines • Either dedicated surveillance program or chance images • Allows for additional monitoring during daylight, hours of darkness, time of reduced visibility during unfavourable weather conditions • National Government providers or Commercial service providers

20. Satellite Surveillance

21. Commercial Satellite Providers • Can provide programmed remote sensing by tasking of areas of interest at specific time • Indentify relevant commercial providers • Provide request to provider • Purpose of the imagery (target detection , pollution etc) • Area of interest (Long/lat) • Time of interest (UTC) • Expected meteorological conditions

22. Satellite imagery as evidence • A trained analyst that interprets satellite imagery should make a Witness Statement to explain how satellites work and what information has been extracted to provide evidence for the particular pollution incident

24. Other potential detections • Whistleblower information • Anonymous • Need evidence • US rewards • Port State Control Inspections • Discovery of inoperable equipment, bypass equipment, false records etc

25. Vessel Tracking Systems • Your country’s maritime or transport agency should have access to vessel tracking systems in your maritime area of jurisdiction • Vessel tracking systems can assist in identifying the vessels that were in the vicinity of the oil pollution • Identifying vessels for boarding and investigation and/or sampling

26. Automated Identification Systems • AIS acts like VHF transponder capable of processing ≥ 4,500 reports per minute • Identifies ships by unique Maritime Mobile Service Identity (MMSI) number • Range is limited to ~ 20 nautical miles • Repeater stations can be deployed in order to increase effective range of AIS • AIS is very effective tool for aerial marine surveillance • Mandatory for most ships since 2004

27. Long-Range Identification & Tracking • IMO Resolution MSC.202(81) established LRIT as an international system in 2006 • Applies to all passenger ships and cargo ships of 300 gross tonnage and greater • Applicable ships must automatically report their position at least 4 times daily to their Flag State administration • Satellite-based system solves problems with AIS range limitations

28. Integrated Surveillance Techniques Graphic of integrated AIS/ EO imagery

29. Vessel Tracking Evidence • An expert in vessel tracking system needs to provide a Witness Statement to explain how these systems work and identify the information that has been extracted for use as evidence for the particular pollution incident • Provide explanation of what the VTS information is showing about the particular vessel

30. Questions?