HELCOM measures keep illicit oil spills in the Baltic near record lows

Helsinki, 3 June (HELCOM Information Service) - The number of deliberate, illegal oil discharges from ships annually observed by national surveillance planes, as well as satellites over the Baltic Sea area has increased slightly, but still remains near record lows, according to a HELCOM study released today in Helsinki.

According to the latest national annual reports provided by the Member States to HELCOM, 238 illicit oil spills were detected during a total of 3,969 hours of surveillance flights conducted by the coastal countries over the Baltic Sea during 2007, compared to 236 discharges observed during 5,128 air patrol hours in 2006, and 224 discharges observed during 5,637 air patrol hours in 2005. Despite the small increase, this is still one of the lowest numbers since 1999, when 488 discharges were detected during 4,883 air patrol hours.

“HELCOM has achieved a significant reduction in the number of illicit oil discharges in the Baltic Sea area over the past years, even though the density of shipping has rapidly grown,” says Monika Stankiewicz, HELCOM’s Maritime and Response Professional Secretary. “We attribute this to the success of the complex set of measures known as the Baltic Strategy to prevent illegal discharges of oil and waste into the sea which the HELCOM countries have been implementing since the 1990s.”

Deliberate oil discharges from ships have been regularly observed during surveillance flights over the Baltic Sea since 1988. One of the peak years was 1989, when 763 spills were detected during 3,491 flight hours. Since 1999 the number of discharges has been steadily decreasing.

In 2007, most of the illegal oil discharges were detected along major shipping routes. Up to 84% of the discharges were smaller than one cubic metre. Four discharges of over 10 cubic metres were detected in Estonian Exclusive Economic Zone. The total estimated volume of oil spills observed in 2007 amounted to 125.4 cubic metres.

In the vast majority of cases of detected illegal discharges polluters remain unknown. In 2007, out of the total number of confirmed illegal discharges (238) the polluters were identified only in 7 cases, which is 11 less than in 2006 when altogether 236 oil spills were observed.

Regular aerial surveillance flights have contributed significantly to the decrease in discharges, as ships are aware that their illicit polluting activities can be detected. The HELCOM aerial surveillance fleet today consists of more than 20 airplanes and helicopters, many of which are equipped with remote sensing equipment such as side-looking airborne radar (SLAR), infrared (IR) and ultraviolet (UV) cameras, photo and video equipment.

HELCOM also uses satellite surveillance to detect illegal polluters. In 2007, this means of pollution control was substantially strengthened thanks to the CleanSeaNet (CSN) satellite service launched by the European Maritime Safety Agency. From April until December 2007, 401 images were delivered for the use by the Baltic Sea countries, containing a total of 313 possible oil slicks, of which 54 were eventually confirmed as being oil. 

Satellite images can indicate “candidates” for oil spills at sea, which can be further on verified on location by a vessel or aircraft. The national satellite service coupled with CSN not only can detect illegal discharges at sea but can also provide support to response operations in case of accidental oil spills.

Both aerial and satellite surveillance have contributed to the enforcement of the Baltic Strategy. The main objectives of the Strategy, which was operationalized by the HELCOM Ministerial Meeting in 1998, are to ensure ships' compliance with global and regional discharge regulations, and to eliminate illegal discharges into the sea of all wastes from all ships, and thus prevent pollution of the Baltic Sea. Another objective is to ensure the environmentally sound treatment of ship-generated wastes when these wastes have been delivered to port reception facilities ashore.

A blanket ban today covers all discharges into the Baltic Sea of oil or diluted mixtures containing oil in any form, including crude oil, fuel oil, oil sludge, or refined products. This prohibition stems from the international designation of the Baltic Sea as a “special area” under the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL 73/78).

To uphold this prohibition, HELCOM requires all ships, with a few exceptions, to deliver all such oily wastes to reception facilities before leaving port. To further encourage delivery, the countries bordering the Baltic Sea have agreed that ships should not be charged for using such reception facilities, under the “no-special-fee” system. Costs are instead recovered from general harbour fees or general environmental fees.

The increased amounts of wastes now being delivered to the Baltic Sea ports illustrate that more and more ships are delivering their oily wastes to port reception facilities rather than illegally discharging them into the Baltic Sea.

Follow-up: Annual 2007 HELCOM report on illegal discharges observed during aerial surveillance (June 2008) http://www.helcom.fi/stc/files/shipping/spills2007.pdf , and map of illegal discharges http://www.helcom.fi/stc/files/Maps/oilspills/oilspills2007.pdf.

Note to Editors:

The Helsinki Commission, or HELCOM, works to protect the marine environment of the Baltic Sea from all sources of pollution through intergovernmental co-operation between the countries bordering the sea - Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Sweden, and also the European Community.  

HELCOM is the governing body of the "Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Baltic Sea Area," more usually known as the Helsinki Convention.

For more information, please contact:

Ms. Monika Stankiewicz

Professional Secretary

HELCOM

Tel: +358 (0)207 412 643

Fax: +358 (0)207 412 639

E-mail: monika.stankiewicz@helcom.fi

Mr. Nikolay Vlasov

Information Secretary

HELCOM

Tel: +358 (0)207 412 635

Fax: +358 (0)207 412 639

E-mail: nikolay.vlasov@helcom.fi