Artificial Intelligence against marine pollution
Artificial Intelligence against marine pollution
In the port of Palma, mathematical algorithms are learning to distinguish between clean or polluted seawater, initiating a real-time security alert protocol that makes it possible to know the condition of the sea surface 24/365.
A group of Mallorcan engineers has designed a computer system, pioneering in the world, which, after being fed hundreds of images of the sea surface, interprets the degree and type of surface pollution.
A first marine pollution control camera, energy self-sufficient, has already been installed at Astilleros de Mallorca, in the port of Palma, with the aim of preventing pollution.
This first camera “observes” a water surface of about 40 square meters 24 hours a day and takes a photograph every 15 minutes, which it transmits to the central office of Garau Ingenieros, where they are finally processed by an artificial intelligence system designed by themselves, specifically by engineers Carlos Garau and Pedro Pourtau.
The images captured by the camera are always of the water surface and never of places with people or vessels. The priority is to detect hydrocarbon spills, so they will be installed, as has been done with this first camera, near the different fuel stations in the ports, the “natural” source of small accidental hydrocarbon spills that can occur during constant refueling. It will also monitor possible discharges or improper cleaning of bilges from some boats, whether by mistake, ignorance or bad practice.
Another possible installation site being studied is the mouths of streams, which are points where all kinds of plastics, oils, detergents and other objects are carried by the rain and finally flow into the sea. In the port of Palma alone, four streams flow into the sea, carrying much of the dirt from our streets, especially cigarette butts and clothespins, which come from sidewalks and communal building terraces.
The equipment currently installed analyzes the water surface tirelessly, day and night, 365 days a year. The experts from Garau Ingenieros, who privately funded the entire project, and the environmental managers at Astilleros de Mallorca believe that the data provided by the system, over time and in the short or medium term, will make it possible to understand the pollution cycle in the port. Knowing at what time or on which days spills most often occur, and understanding the influence of winds or currents, events or works, will greatly improve the fight against pollution, reducing and improving cleaning and monitoring work.
The camera system seeks to monitor and detect a spill as soon as possible in order to react as quickly as possible, but above all it aims to be an “environmental intelligence” tool that will ultimately help reduce pollutant discharges at their source.
The system, which is already viable and operational, is in its final development and implementation phase, and in the future will consist of a number (yet to be determined) of cameras receiving real-time images.
For the system’s artificial intelligence to recognize the shapes and colors of pollution, it has been necessary to feed into its memory hundreds of images provided by citizens, who sent photos of the sea surface with many different types of pollution—mainly plastics, hydrocarbons and other floating pollutants of all kinds. In this way, with the collaboration of sailors and seafaring people, an image database has been created that is essential to generate the algorithms that define the system.
The collaboration between Garau Ingenieros and Astilleros de Mallorca arises from the working group of the Balearic Marine Cluster, which seeks to bring together different companies in the sector on several interesting innovative projects currently under development. The Balearic nautical industry is also a pioneer in technology and the environment—two concepts that are increasingly ingrained.
Finally, it should be noted that the Balearic Islands Port Authority, through its environmental and innovation department, is following the joint work of Garau Ingenieros and Astilleros de Mallorca with great attention and interest, aware that the ultimate goal, achieving cleaner ports, is something that concerns everyone.