The Environmental Operations Department of the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change has launched an early warning system to monitor oil pollution in Qatar's marine environment via satellite, at the ministry's headquarters, in the presence of HE the Minister of Environment and Climate Change Sheikh Dr Faleh bin Nasser al-Thani.
The project, the latest of its kind in co-operation with the Sky Perfect JSat Corp, the Norwegian Kongsberg Satellite Services, and the Japanese Itochu Company, is characterised by accurate monitoring of oil pollution by satellites (radar). It is capable of capturing oil spills as small as 40 litres without being affected by weather conditions such as clouds, rain, fog and sunlight. The system also works by broadcasting radar waves reflected from the surface of the oil slick, where the satellite captures them as black or blind spots, and then sends pictures and reports to the ministry.
Engineer Dareen Saleh al-Msifri from the Environmental Operations Department explained that the early warning system project for monitoring and tracking oil spills aims to contribute to activating the ministry's vision and strategy in preserving the marine environment and preventing all types of pollution that negatively affect marine organisms.
He pointed out that the system meets the requirements of the International Convention on Preparedness, Response and Co-operation in the Field of Oil Pollution of 1990, signed by Qatar.
She explained that the system monitors Qatar's exclusive economic zone throughout the day, and is considered as an early warning mechanism to warn about any oil pollution that may occur, which contributes to providing an opportunity for the various rapid intervention teams to work on addressing the effects of this pollution quickly and efficiently, in addition to contributing to identifying and taking action. Administrative and legal procedures against the party that may cause this pollution.
She stressed that the project will, on a daily basis, deliver a satellite image to the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change with a detailed report on the economic zone, pointing out that the project contributes to supporting national cadres with extensive and distinguished expertise in satellite monitoring and combating oil spills, as well as rapid response to any pollution that occurs in the marine environment.
