Oil spill radar establishes itself in market
Consilium’s oil spill radar is said to be suited to anti-pollution applications
Consilium Marine & Safety of Sweden reports that its recently launched oil spill radar has enjoyed a strong demand in the marketplace.
Following testing in July 2010 by the Norwegian Coastal Administration and the Norwegian Clean Seas Association for Operative Companies (NOFO), a strong reference list has been built up, including the Finnish Icebreaker Kontio, commissioned as a standby vessel for the EMSA (European Maritime Safety Agency), customers in Norway, Italy and China, and a recent order for a system for an oil spill response vessel for the port of Rotterdam.
The key feature of the oil spill radar is said to be the possibility of integrating a complete oil spill detection function into Consilium’s standard SOLAS navigational radar. The radar processing unit is supported by a radar sensor with the capability to operate the antenna at a rotational speed of up to 44 rpm. As a result, ships in regular operations can use the primary radar set as a traditional instrument for navigation and the secondary radar display, interfaced to the primary radar, switched to oil spill detection, offering an early warning of pollution.
The real-time signal processing allows the system to highlight the dampening of the reflected microwave radiation on the radar display and to overlay the same on the Consilium ECDIS. Although imagery in both vertical and horizontal polarisation can be used for slick detection, the vertical imagery is preferred as, in general, it offers a stronger clutter background, generating an improved contrast. Although vertical polarisation is more sensitive than horizontal for slick detection, it is said to be less suited to navigational radar applications.
Consilium adds that the system has received the 2010 Vespucci Award in the innovation category, in a scheme sponsored by the Tuscany Region Government and the Italian Industries Association (Confindustria).
“Of course, it is nice to get awards but, at the end of the day, it is the recognition from the customers that shows if a product becomes successful or not.” commented Carl Adam Rosenblad, MD of Consilium Marine & Safety.
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