Underwater and aerial drones that can inspect damaged ships and watch the sea were shown today in Burgas at an international forum, "Black Sea 2030: Security, Sustainability, Innovation". The equipment is on display at the International Congress Centre, after a string of attacks on merchant ships in the Black Sea.
The forum is organised by Burgas council and the association ProspectiM.
Earlier: The "Black Sea 2030" forum in Burgas will be held on 30 October
Mayor Dimitar Nikolov said traffic to the ports in Burgas has not been hit so far. He said he spoke yesterday about whether there are any limits on merchant ships heading to the city, which has several ports. Traffic has not been disrupted or stopped.
A few days ago, three drones hit a container ship sailing to Romania. All 18 crew members were rescued.
The attacks put the lives of sailors and international shipping at risk. If a ship is badly damaged or sinks, fuel and other pollutants could leak into the sea. That would harm sea life, fishing and tourist spots along the coast. The safety of Burgas Bay also matters because Burgas will host Eurovision in 2027.
An exhibition, "Technologies for a Safe and Sustainable Black Sea", has been set up alongside the forum. It shows tools for monitoring, surveying and protecting the sea. The Via Pontica Foundation presented an underwater drone for ship incidents that can also find possible sources of pollution.
Georgi Kostazinov of the foundation said the device is mainly for inspecting ships after incidents like those of recent days. It is used to check whether fuel has leaked.
Another technology on show is a network of monitoring systems along the coast that work at the same time and give real-time data. Software engineer Dragomir Enchev said dozens of such devices at sea and on the shore, linked to each other and placed on one map with the radars, could show non-stop what is happening at sea.
Representatives of European and international bodies, national and local government, business and science are taking part in the forum. Announced guests include EU commissioner for startups, research and innovation Ekaterina Zaharieva, European Commission officials and experts from international organisations.
The forum focuses on the new security situation in the region, the sensible use of sea resources and the future of coastal towns and villages. It also looks at how research and new technology can reach practical use. Young people in science, business and technology in the region get special attention.
The organisers want public bodies, science and business to work together and find practical ways to make the Black Sea safer and better protected.