Denmark strengthens its supervision in the North Sea and in the Baltic Sea with two autonomous maritime drones

Denmark tested two autonomous maritime drones on Monday in the Baltic Sea and in the North Sea, delaying their surveillance in the area, after incidents related to the destruction of underwater cables.

Two marine drones will supervise the activity of the Baltic Sea and the North Sea. Photo: Wikipedia

Denmark launched on Monday, June 16, two autonomous maritime drones in the North Sea and the Baltic Sea, in a test project aimed at increasing the monitoring and protection capacity in maritime areas of strategic interest. The unmanned boats are produced and operated by the American company Saildrone and will be used by the Danish navy for three months for extended supervision missions.

Two other drones of the same type were launched on the water last week, in the context of a NATO coordinated mission to secure the submarine infrastructure in the region, according to Agerpres.

“Surveillance missions will carry out in the Baltic Sea, in the North Sea, as well as in other Danish domestic waters,” explained Kim Jorgensen, the logistical director of the Danish Defense Ministry.

The official stressed that these areas are extremely active, especially the Baltic Sea, which, according to the data of the Higher Institute of the Maritime Economy (SEMAR), focuses over 8% of the world maritime traffic.

The importance of this initiative comes in the context of recent incidents that have targeted submarine cables of telecommunications and electricity supply networks, affected by suspicious damage.

Thus, at the beginning of the year, NATO started a special mission to protect the critical maritime infrastructure, including in the area of ​​the Danish straits, considered the gates of access to the Baltic Sea.

Voyager type drones have a length of 10 meters and can operate completely autonomous for up to three months. They are equipped with high -performance tools that allow the marine environment to monitor up to a depth of 300 meters. Saildrone, the American company that developed them, already collaborates with the United States Marine in the field of maritime supervision.

“These vehicles are designed to provide a complete image of what is happening both on the surface of the water and below it. They are practically our eyes and ears at sea“Said Richard Jenkins, the general manager of Saildrone.

According to Jenkins, threats from international waters are increasingly varied and serious: from trafficking in people, weapons and drugs, to sabotage on submarine cables and pipes, but also illegal fishing. “There are activities that require constant and efficient supervision,” he stressed.