Partnership with the Federal University integrates the Sea Science Program
Primeiro-Tenente (T) Ohana Gonçalves dos Reis Martinho – Belém, PA (MB)
The 4th Naval District Command (Com4ºDN) confirmed, in May, its support to the project “Multiscale system for detection and modeling of oil spills”, developed by the Federal University of Pará (UFPA) and other academic institutions in the country. The project is part of the Sea Science Program, of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI) in partnership with the Brazilian Navy (MB), which seeks to produce and apply scientific and technological knowledge to achieve social, economic, and environmental benefits.
The MB and the MCTI have contracted several projects through the Public Call 06/2020, launched by the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development, to develop research and development to address oil spills along the Brazilian coast.
In addition, the MB has also promoted, periodically, meetings and debates through the Technical and Scientific Committee for the Advisory and Support of Activities of Monitoring and Neutralization of Impacts Resulting from Marine Pollution by oil and other pollutants in the Blue Amazon (ComTecPolÓleo).
The ComTecPolÓleo, coordinated by the Navy’s Directorate-General of Nuclear and Technological Development and advised by the Navy Technological Center in Rio de Janeiro, was created, in 2020, with the objective of conceiving a mechanism of inclusive technical-scientific articulation, in favor of increasing the capacity for detection, prevention of impacts, formulation of propositional actions and timely response actions, as well as assistance for damage mitigation, in the event of environmental incidents arising from pollution by oil and other pollutants at sea.
Project “Multi-scale oil spill detection and modeling system
To collaborate with the project, it will be necessary to carry out hydro-oceanographic surveys, in order to collect hydrodynamic data, such as sea and river current intensity and direction, water discharge and tide, in estuarine systems along the coast of Pará. The Navy will provide naval means to assist UFPA’s researchers.
The Northern Hydrography and Navigation Center (CHN-4), a Military Organization (OM) subordinated to the 4th DN, is responsible for supporting the project through the use of the hydro-oceanographic ship “Garnier Sampaio”, the buoy ship “Tenente Castelo”, and the river hydro-oceanographic warning ship “Rio Tocantins”. The partnership will provide important information for the National Oceanographic Database, as well as contributing to national development.
The interdisciplinary project will also make use of remote sensing, artificial intelligence, environmental engineering, numerical modeling, data science, and oceanography technologies. The study will allow the evaluation of the extent of impacts on different ecosystems, such as corals, mangroves, beaches, and sea grasses; of the effective damage caused by the oil on fishing courses; and the preventive detection of accidents with oil and fuel transportation. The trajectory of the oil in the sea and rivers will also be simulated, helping to determine the origin of the spill and to identify the possible polluter.
For the director of CHN-4, Frigate Captain Andérmisson Claudino da Silva Moura, the technical cooperation between the scientific community and the 4th DN will result in gains for civil society. “The expansion of knowledge of the hydrodynamics of the rivers in the region, besides promoting navigation safety, will boost the sustainable development of the local economy,” said the director.
The dean of UFPA, Emmanuel Zagury Tourinho, emphasized the importance of the union of different universities and agencies to develop the project, with the purpose of predicting and mitigating impacts of occurrences that can compromise our maritime and fluvial ecosystems. “To be developed successfully, it depends on the cooperation of many actors and the Brazilian Navy is a partner of the universities in this initiative, ensuring conditions for the onboard stages to be carried out successfully. We are grateful for this collaboration and hope that it will be a stimulus for other joint actions in favor of science in the Amazon,” concluded the rector.
English version by Defeconpress