Helcom : Illegal discharges of oil in the Baltic Sea

Illegal discharges of oil in the Baltic Sea during 2008

Author: HELCOM Response

Key message

A decreasing trend in the number of observed illegal oil discharges despite rapidly growing density of shipping, increased frequency of the surveillance flights and improved usage of remote sensing equipment is illustrating the positive results of the complex set of measures known as the Baltic Strategy, implemented by the Contracting Parties to the Helsinki Convention.

Altogether 210 oil spills were observed in 2008, which is 28 less than in 2007.

Figure 1. The total number of flight hours and observed oil spills in the HELCOM area during aerial surveillance, 1988-2008.

Results and Assessment

Environmental context

Oil is a major threat to Baltic Sea ecosystems. In the last decade maritime transportation has been growing steadily, reflecting the intensified co-operation and trade in the Baltic Sea region and a prospering economy.

An increase in the number of ships also means that one could expect a larger number of illegal oil discharges. Both oil tankers and other kinds of ships are among the suspected offenders of anti-pollution regulations.

Policy context

Any discharge into the Baltic Sea of oil, or diluted mixtures containing oil in any form including crude oil, fuel oil, oil sludge, or refined products, is prohibited. This applies to oily water from the machinery spaces of any ship, as well as from ballast or cargo tanks from oil tankers.

The prohibition stems from the international designation of the Baltic Sea area as a “special area” under the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL 73/78).

To uphold the prohibition, the 1992 Helsinki Convention requires all ships, with some exceptions, to deliver the oil to a reception facility before leaving the port. To further encourage the delivery the countries bordering on the Baltic Sea have agreed that a ship should not be charged for using the reception facilities (also known as the no-special-fee system). The costs have to be covered e.g. by general harbor fees or general environmental fees.

The Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Baltic Sea Area, 1992 (the 1992 Helsinki Convention) spells out a duty for the States bordering on the Baltic Sea to conduct aerial surveillance for detecting suspected offenders of anti-pollution regulations at sea. All coastal states should endeavor to fly - as a minimum - twice per week over regular traffic zones including approaches to major sea ports as well as in regions with regular offshore activities. Other regions with sporadic traffic and fishing activities should be covered once per week. Experienced observers/pilots shall hereby conduct reliable detections, classifications and quantification of observed pollution, their frequencies and geographical distributions.

Also the Coordinated Extended Pollution Control Flights (CEPCO), which constitute continuous surveillance of specific areas in the Baltic Sea for 24 or more hours, should be carried out twice a year.

Directive 2000/59/EC of 27 November 2000 has as its aim to reduce the discharges of ship-generated wastes and cargo residues into the sea, especially illegal discharges, by improving the availability and use of port reception facilities. The Directive recognizes and does not contradict with the procedures and mechanisms agreed by the Contracting Parties to the Helsinki Convention.

Assessment

Deliberate illegal oil discharges from ships are regularly observed within the Baltic Sea since 1988. As from 1999 the number of observed illegal oil discharges is gradually decreasing (from 488 in 1999 to 210 in 2008). A significant decrease in the number of deliberate oil spills (28) was reported in 2008 compared to 2007 which is a positive sign, especially considering the increased shipping traffic as well as enhanced use of satellite imageries complementing aerial surveillance activities.

Decrease in the number of observed illegal discharges despite rapidly growing density of shipping, increased frequency of the surveillance flights and improved usage of remote sensing equipment is illustrating the positive results of the complex set of measures known as a Baltic Strategy implemented by the Contracting Parties to the Helsinki Convention.

Also increased amount of waste delivered to the Baltic Sea ports illustrate that more and more ships rather deliver oil waste to ports than illegally discharge into the Baltic Sea.

Although the number of observations of illegal oil discharges shows a decreasing trend over the years it should be kept in mind that for some areas aerial surveillance is not evenly and regularly carried out and therefore there are no reliable figures for these areas.

To see maps illustrating illegal discharges, click on the years below:

1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008

References

The data has been collected by Response group - HELCOM RESPONSE

Supporting information

http://www.helcom.fi/shipping/waste/en_GB/surveilance/

Data

Table 1. Compiled data on performed flight hours by country in 1989-2008

	Denmark	Estonia	Finland	Germany	Lithuania	Latvia	Poland	Russia	Sweden	Total

1989				142			131	1618	1600	3491
1990	292			168		400	164		1600	2624
1991	199			129	348	408	140	629	1600	3453
1992	172			267	78	127	62	32	1700	2438
1993	153	40		201	133	24	49		1900	2500
1994	253	420		290		18	179		2038	3198
1995	225	420	355	291		8	301		1953	3553
1996	275	305	400	313	65	8	345		1763	3474
1997	209	284	355	288		64	291		2189	3680
1998	325	236	649	206		577	465		2544	5002
1999	416	268	603	286		320	375		2565	4833
2000	497	212	660	439	250	436	362		2374	5230
2001	463	161	567	466	300	412	187		2281	4837
2002	412	153	605	469		387	320		2518	4864
2003	510	201	615	446		414	228		2532	4946
2004	265	198	644	491	100	365	239		3231	5534
2005	251	178	625	549	54	384	141		3455	5638
2006	290	471	517	504	64	311	131		2842	5128
2007	271	410	529	598	41	343	380		1397	3969
2008	246	503	438	650		298	406		2063	4603

Table 2. Compiled data on observed illegal oil discharges by country in 1988-2008

	Denmark	Estonia	Finland	Germany	Lithuania	Latvia	Poland	Russia	Sweden	Total
1988	129			90			40	82	168	509
1989	159			139			69	184	212	763
1990	34			45		73	88		184	424
1991	46			85	8	20	14	3	197	373
1992	18	18		76	34	15	92	13	278	544
1993	17	7		43	28	6	110		250	461
1994	30	4		75			104		375	588
1995	48	3	26	55			72		445	649
1996	36		42	44			50		241	413
1997	38	3	104	34			25		234	438
1998	53	10	53	23		33	33		249	454
1999	87	33	63	72		18	18		197	488
2000	68	38	89	51		17	51		158	472
2001	93	11	107	51	0	6	24		98	390
2002	54	8	75	44		21	25		117	344
2003	37	4	40	60		14	39		84	278
2004	30	19	36	42	0	13	10		143	293
2005	28	24	32	34	0	5	5	2	94	224
2006	41	31	29	22	0	0	3		110	236
2007	43	58	29	30		2	15		61	238
2008	41	46	28	24		5	22		44	210

Metadata

The data is gathered on the basis of national reports from the nine countries bordering on the Baltic Sea area and Contracting States to the 1992 Helsinki Convention.

For reference purposes, please cite this indicator fact sheet as follows:

[Author’s name(s)], [Year]. [Indicator Fact Sheet title]. HELCOM Indicator Fact Sheets 2009. Online. [Date Viewed], http://www.helcom.fi/environment2/ifs/en_GB/cover/.

Last updated: 22 September 2009