An integrated system for a real time fight against maritime and coastal pollution with environmental data acquisition, pollutant spillages modelling and risk management

Abstract

A new integrated system with the capacity to help minimize the coastal environmental impacts when a pollutant load is discharged into the sea, in particular oil spills, is presented. The system, named SAMM, integrates simulation models (oil spills, dumping of sewage, brine, etc.) and risk assessment tools for decision-making in emergency situations so as to minimize the environmental and socio-economic impact of marine spills. The main core modules of the integrated system are: Monitoring and Data, Simulations and Risk Analysis. The present system has been developed by an interdisciplinary team that has worked on many previous projects in the field and recently received a national award. This paper describes the modelling implemented in the integrated system and shows examples of real applications in coastal areas and seas.