National Aerial Surveillance Plan
Transport Canada Program to Detect Ship Source Pollution
Oct 11, 2007
Vessels passing through Canadian waters are watched over by Transport Canada's (TC) National Aerial Surveillance Program (NASP) to ensure they comply with environmental regulations. The Program recently saw a boost with the government's Health of the Oceans Initiative. NASP is designed to detect and document ship related pollution in waters controlled by the Canadian government. Aerial surveillance has grown in popularity throughout the world as an effective method for detecting oil spills and is Transport Canada's primary means for detecting illicit discharges at sea.
De Havilland Pollution Surveillance Aircraft - NASP uses five De Havilland Dash 7 and Dash 8 fixed wing aircraft to conduct its missions. The newest addition to the fleet is a bright red De Havilland Dash 8 equipped with the Maritime Surveillance System 6000. Aircraft are strategically staged across Canada, with two aircraft carrying complete integrated suites of pollution surveillance equipment located on each coast. NASP flew a record 1,548 dedicated pollution patrol hours in FY 2005, discovering 78 pollution incidents.
Maritime Surveillance System 6000 (MSS 6000) - The MSS 6000 manufactured by Swedish Space Corporation will allow TC surveillance aircraft operating over great distances under demanding weather conditions both day and night to track and identify polluting vessels. Aircraft will work in concert with RADARSAT, a satellite imagery system that can detect oil spilled on the ocean's surface.
Maritime Pollution Surveillance System Components - The advanced TC Dash 8 aircraft are equipped with these sensor and equipment packages:
- Side Looking Airborne Radar (SLAR) – An all-weather radar that detects anomalies on the ocean surface in low light or cloudy conditions.
- Ultraviolet Infrared Line Scanner (UVIR) – Used analyze an oil slick and help prevent false positives
- Electro-Optical Infrared Camera System (EOIR) – A camera system that can identify vessels at long distance in low light or cloudy conditions. Photographs taken are used as evidence against polluters
- Automatic Identification System (AIS) Transponder Receiver – A radio system that provides vessel identity and voyage information
- Data Uplink System – A telemetry system that will maintain a data stream from air to ground in real time
- Geo-Coded Digital Camera System - Still and video cameras used to document pollution incidents
Integrated Satellite Tracking of Polluter’s (I-STOP) Project - I-STOP uses RADARSAT imaging to look for anomalies on the ocean surface that could be oil slicks. The project can provide early warning of oil spills and direct surveillance aircraft towards suspected pollution incidents.
By bolstering its nighttime and poor weather surveillance capability, Transport Canada is entering a new era of pollution deterrence in Canadian waters. Minister of Transport Cannon summarizes this effort, “We want to send a strong message to would-be polluters around the world that we will do whatever is necessary to protect the health of our marine environment. We are a world leader in using specialized technology to detect marine polluters, and we are confident that our new equipment will act as a powerful deterrent to potential polluters, with our increased ability to track them.”
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