The Port of Gdańsk has received a subsidy for the task “Protection, prevention and monitoring of damage associated with seabed pollution in the internal waters of the Port of Gdańsk through the purchase of an underwater vehicle”. The subsidy of PLN 190,000 comes from the General Call for Proposals run by the Voivodship Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management in Gdańsk. The total value of the task is PLN 654,000.
Port of Gdańsk Authority S.A. manages the area of the Port of Gdańsk, comprising internal waters: port channels and adjacent basins with an area of 175 ha. They are constantly at risk of contamination due to the business activities that take place there. The area is a site of transport, handling, storage and other operations with hazardous substances, such as propane, oil and sulphur. When released into water bodies, the substances pose a serious threat to the environment due to factors like:
- pollution of marine waters and ecosystems;
- damage to marine fauna and flora;
- pollution of beaches and coastal areas.
Purchasing an underwater drone has made it possible to effectively monitor the above threats and to counter the effects of pollution in the internal water areas of the Port of Gdańsk.
In addition, the drone serves to inspect the state of internal waters, enabling an effective response in the event of a flood risk. It also makes it possible to survey the seabed for obstacles and underwater structures, and to inspect the condition of the seabed reinforcement and the underwater quay wall with a sonar in limited visibility.
The drone is intended for use in the internal water areas of the Port of Gdańsk.
