Text and photo: Major Michael Christiansen, SPAO DATG

The practical enforcement implies that the Danish Defence monitors and if necessary takes action against ships in order to prevent or stop possible or ongoing pollution. The enforcement also implies that ships can be detained to secure evidence for use in court. The purpose is to prevent or reduce the effect of oil pollution on both animal and plant life in the marine environment and also to limit the damage and effect on primarily coastal areas and beaches.

When a pollution is detected, oil samples are taken both from the sea and from suspected ships. Together with other pieces of evidence, these samples form the basis for prosecution of the polluter. But it can be difficult to find the offender. Hard evidence is needed to prosecute a polluter. Therefore samples of the pollution must be taken, and they must be compared with samples taken from the possible offender, when he arrives in port.

The task of taking samples of the pollution can for example be done with the Navy’s LYNX-helicopters. They are equipped with special oil sampling equipment, which is dropped into the polluted water. The equipment consists of a bottle that is kept afloat by a little inflatable cushion. After sampling, the bottle is fished out of the water and hoisted into the helicopter. This was succesfully tested during Exercise DANEX 07.