Finnish companies Meritaito Ltd., part of the Arctia group, and Kine Robot Solutions Ltd. have jointly developed the Sniffer Buoy for air quality and emission monitoring regarding IMO 2020 regulations. 

The first Sniffer Buoy prototype was deployed at the end of May for a pilot period, spring to autumn 2020. Installation was done in the Finnish west coast archipelago outside Turku and Naantali.   

The Sniffer Buoy consists of remote emission monitoring instruments capsulated inside a robust polyethylene navigation buoy combined with AirNow emission monitoring service. The Sniffer Buoy is capable of detecting air pollution particles from vessels exhaust fumes. Sniffer Buoy coupled with the AirNow service’s AIS recognition and emission measuring instrument detects the amount of emissions and connects the results to a specific vessel. By using algorithms the program then assesses if the passing vessel complies with the adequate regional emission legislations.

The pilot is a part of the EU-funded Intelligent Sea project headed by Meritaito, in which a variety of technologically advanced buoys are tested in the ports of Naantali and Stockholm. The Sniffer Buoy is believed to be a real breakthrough in the market of marine air quality and emission monitoring. It is a fully automated 24/7 watchdog.

In remote emission monitoring, installation location is vital as the exhaust plume moves with the wind. The Sniffer Buoy can be installed almost anywhere and is easily moved to adjust to seasonal winds or changes in vessel operation routes. The Sniffer Buoy has its own power unit, based on solar power.

For more info on the buoy, contact Sales Manager Seppo Virtanen: seppo.virtanen@meritaito.fi.

For more info on AirNow emission monitoring, contact Technology Director Kimmo Salonen: kimmo.salonen@kine.fi.