Drones are 'sniffing' ship exhausts in European waters

摘要

DRONES are being used for anti-pollution missions off the coast of Europe to "sniff" the exhaust fumes from ships and catch operators using illegal fuel. At the start of last year, the UN's International Maritime Organization introduced legislation to reduce the limit on the percentage of sulphur in fuel used by ships from 3.5 per cent to 0.5 per cent. Certain congested areas, such as the English Channel and the Strait of Gibraltar, have special limits of 0.1 per cent. Emissions of sulphur oxide (SOx) from ships have been found to be a factor in cardiovascular and lung disease and can lead to acid rain.