Copenhagen Malmö Port (CMP), which has recently been named Europe’s Leading Cruise Port for the fourth time, is set to test new technology that is claimed to limit oil spills.

The ‘ecotorpedo’, an Autonomous Surface Vessel (ASV), is an electrically powered torpedo that is fired into the water and pulls a boom. It is either programmed by GPS to follow a fixed course or steered via a wireless transmitter. The boom is then locked into a docking station, sealing off the dock to protect the surrounding water and shoreline.

According to CMP, when an oil spill occurs it is important to act quickly, and the ASV ‘ecotorpedo’ can be used to seal the oil port in Malmö in just five to six minutes.

The technology was developed by the Göteborg company SP Marine in partnership with CMP and will be test-fired on October 13, 2011.

Do you have any understanding of this technology and its viability?