Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in
Book cover

Oil Pollution in the Mediterranean Sea: Part I pp 325–344Cite as

Conclusions for Part I: The International Context

  • Chapter
  • First Online:

Part of the book series: The Handbook of Environmental Chemistry ((HEC,volume 83))

Abstract

This book (Part 1 of a volume on “Oil Pollution in the Mediterranean Sea”) has presented a review of knowledge on oil pollution in the Mediterranean Sea, through a series of chapters presented at the international level. Those chapters consider the history, sources and volumes of oil pollution entering the Mediterranean Sea, including data presented in Part II of the volume in national case studies. It also examines oil inputs from specific sources including shipping and oil transportation and oil and gas production. Chapters in Part I also examine the role of international and regional bodies including the International Maritime Organization and European Maritime Safety Agency, together with activities undertaken for oil spill prevention and intervention under the Convention for the Protection of the Mediterranean Sea Against Pollution (Barcelona Convention, 1976) and its Protocols, for example. The role of the Regional Marine Pollution Emergency Response Centre for the Mediterranean Region (REMPEC) is considered through its work on a regional strategy for oil pollution prevention and response. Numerical modelling of oil pollution in the eastern and western Mediterranean and oil spill forecasting and beaching probability are also discussed at an international level, complementing the national case studies presented in Part II. By bringing together the work of scientists, legal and policy experts, academic researchers and specialists in various fields relating to marine environmental protection, satellite monitoring, oil pollution and the Mediterranean Sea, these chapters present a picture of oil pollution from a range of sources (shipping – accidental, operational and illegal), offshore oil and gas exploration and exploitation, and coastal refineries, and the roles of the various agencies in preparedness and prevention activities, to present a picture of the current situation in the Mediterranean Sea.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   299.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD   379.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD   379.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

Notes

  1. 1.

    For the latest status of signatures and ratifications of the Barcelona Convention and its Protocols (last notification received: 20 September 2018), see http://web.unep.org/unepmap/ and select the link from that page.

  2. 2.

    The 19 Mediterranean Sea countries that are parties to the OPRC are Gibraltar, Spain, France, Monaco, Italy, Malta, Slovenia, Egypt, Croatia, Albania, Greece, Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco.

  3. 3.

    The 13 Mediterranean Sea countries that are parties to the Intervention Convention are Spain, France, Monaco, Italy, Slovenia, Egypt, Croatia, Montenegro, Syria, Lebanon, Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco.

  4. 4.

    The standard inspection target for the nine regional MOUs is 15% of foreign flagged vessels, although the Paris MOU has an annual ship inspection target of 25%.

References

  1. International Hydrographic Organization (1953) Limits of the Oceans and Seas (Special Publication No. 28), 3rd edn. IHO, Monte Carlo. https://epic.awi.de/29772/1/IHO1953a.pdf. Accessed Nov 2018

  2. UNEP (2017) Mediterranean 2017 Quality Status Report. Environmental characteristics. https://www.medqsr.org/environmental-characteristics. Accessed June 2018

  3. UNEP (2017) Mediterranean 2017 Quality Status Report. Socio-economic characteristics. https://www.medqsr.org/socioeconomic-characteristics. Accessed June 2018

  4. Hildebrand L, Bellefontaine N, Johansson T (2016) International Maritime Organization and oil pollution in the Mediterranean Sea. In: Carpenter A, Kostianoy AG (eds) Oil pollution in the Mediterranean Sea: part I – the international context, Hdb Env Chem, Springer, Berlin. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/698_2016_19

    Google Scholar 

  5. UNEP (2017) Mediterranean 2017 Quality Status Report. Maritime transport. https://wwwmedqsrorg/maritime-transport. Accessed June 2018

  6. UNEP (2017) Mediterranean 2017 Quality Status Report. Energy, gas and oil exploration and exploitation, mining and manufacturing. https://wwwmedqsrorg/energy-gas-and-oil-exploration-and-exploitation-mining-and-manufacturing. Accessed June 2018

  7. UNEP (n.d.) The Mediterranean Action Plan. http://www.unep.org/regionalseas/mediterranean. Accessed June 2018

  8. UNEP (1976) Convention for the protection of the Mediterranean Sea against pollution (Barcelona Convention). http://wedocsuneporg/bitstream/id/53143/convention_engpdf. Accessed June 2018

  9. REMPEC (n.d.) About REMPEC – Mandate (webpage). http://rempec.org/rempec.asp?theIDS=1_91&theName=ABOUT_REMPEC&theID=6&daChk=1&pgType=1. Accessed June 2018

  10. Kostianoy AG, Carpenter A (2018) History, sources and volumes of oil pollution in the Mediterranean Sea. In: Carpenter A, Kostianoy AG (eds) Oil pollution in the Mediterranean Sea: part I – the international context. Hdb Env Chem, Springer, Berlin. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/698_2018_369

    Google Scholar 

  11. Girin M, Carpenter A (2017) Shipping and oil transportation in the Mediterranean Sea. In: Carpenter A, Kostianoy AG (eds) Oil pollution in the Mediterranean Sea: part I – the international context. Hdb Env Chem, Springer, Berlin. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/698_2017_6

    Google Scholar 

  12. Kostianoy AG, Carpenter A (2018) Oil and gas exploration and production in the Mediterranean Sea. In: Carpenter A, Kostianoy AG (eds) Oil pollution in the Mediterranean Sea: part I – the international context. Hdb Env Chem, Springer, Berlin

    Google Scholar 

  13. Bellefontaine N, Donner P, Johansson T (2016) Oil spill intervention in the Mediterranean Sea. In: Carpenter A, Kostianoy AG (eds) Oil pollution in the Mediterranean Sea: part I – the international context, Hdb Env Chem, Springer, Berlin. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/698_2016_36

    Google Scholar 

  14. Carpenter A, Johansson T (2017) The Barcelona Convention and it role in oil pollution prevention. In: Carpenter A, Kostianoy AG (eds) Oil pollution in the Mediterranean Sea: part I – the international context, Hdb Env Chem, Springer, Berlin. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/698_2017_168

    Google Scholar 

  15. Carpenter A, Donner P, Johansson T (2017) REMPEC – regional strategy for the prevention of and response to marine pollution from ships. In: Carpenter A, Kostianoy AG (eds) Oil pollution in the Mediterranean Sea: part I – the international context, Hdb Env Chem, Springer, Berlin. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/698_2017_169

    Google Scholar 

  16. Carpenter A (2016) EMSA activities in the Mediterranean Sea. In: Carpenter A, Kostianoy AG (eds) Oil pollution in the Mediterranean Sea: part I – the international context, Hdb Env Chem, Springer, Berlin. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/698_2016_18

    Google Scholar 

  17. Zodiatis G, Coppini G, Perivoliotis L, Lardner R, Alves T, Pinardi N, Liubartseva S, De Dominicis M, Bourma E, Sepp Neves AA (2017) Numerical modeling of oil pollution in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. In: Carpenter A, Kostianoy AG (eds) Oil pollution in the Mediterranean Sea: part I – the international context, Hdb Env Chem, Springer, Berlin. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/698_2017_131

    Google Scholar 

  18. Cucco A, Daniel P (2016) Numerical modeling of oil pollution in the Western Mediterranean Sea. In: Carpenter A, Kostianoy AG (eds) Oil pollution in the Mediterranean Sea: part I – the international context, Hdb Env Chem, Springer, Berlin. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/698_2016_99

    Google Scholar 

  19. Zodiatis G, Kirkos G (2017) Projects on oil spill response in the Mediterranean Sea. In: Carpenter A, Kostianoy AG (eds) Oil pollution in the Mediterranean Sea: part I – the international context, Hdb Env Chem, Springer, Berlin. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/698_2017_50

    Google Scholar 

  20. Jiménez Madrid JA, García-Ladona E, Blanco-Merulo B (2017) Oil spill beaching probability for the Mediterranean Sea. In: Carpenter A, Kostianoy AG (eds) Oil pollution in the Mediterranean Sea: part I – the international context, Hdb Env Chem, Springer, Berlin. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/698_2017_37

    Google Scholar 

  21. de la Torre L, Albaigés J (2016) Oil pollution in Spanish Waters. In: Carpenter A, Kostianoy AG (eds) Oil pollution in the Mediterranean Sea: part II – national case studies, Hdb Env Chem, Springer, Berlin. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/698_2016_103

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  22. Girin M, Daniel P (2017) Oil pollution in French waters. In: Carpenter A, Kostianoy AG (eds) Oil pollution in the Mediterranean Sea: part II – national case studies, Hdb Env Chem, Springer, Berlin. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/698_2017_4

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  23. Nichiro F, Grieco G, Migliaccio M, Nicolosi PDM (2016) Oil spill monitoring in the Italian waters: COSMO-SkyMed role and contribution. In: Carpenter A, Kostianoy AG (eds) Oil pollution in the Mediterranean Sea: part II – national case studies, Hdb Env Chem, Springer, Berlin. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/698_2016_115

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  24. Perkovic M, Harsch R, Ferraro G (2016) Oil spills in the Adriatic Sea. In: Carpenter A, Kostianoy AG (eds) Oil pollution in the Mediterranean Sea: part II – national case studies, Hdb Env Chem, Springer, Berlin. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/698_2016_53

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  25. Perkovic M, Hribar U, Harsch R (2016) Oil pollution in Slovenian waters: the threat to the Slovene coast, possible negative influences of shipping on an environment and its cultural heritage. In: Carpenter A, Kostianoy AG (eds) Oil pollution in the Mediterranean Sea: part II – national case studies, Hdb Env Chem, Springer, Berlin. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/698_2016_112

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  26. Morović M, Ivanov A, Olć M (2016) Mapping of oil slicks in the Adriatic Sea: Croatia case study. In: Carpenter A, Kostianoy AG (eds) Oil pollution in the Mediterranean Sea: part II – national case studies, Hdb Env Chem, Springer, Berlin. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/698_2016_38

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  27. Karakoç FT, Ediger D, Günay AS (2016) Oil pollution in Turkish waters of the Mediterranean Sea. In: Carpenter A, Kostianoy AG (eds) Oil pollution in the Mediterranean Sea: part II – national case studies, Hdb Env Chem, Springer, Berlin. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/698_2016_100

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  28. Amir R (2017) Oil pollution in the Marine waters of Israel. In: Carpenter A, Kostianoy AG (eds) Oil pollution in the Mediterranean Sea: part II – national case studies, Hdb Env Chem, Springer, Berlin. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/698_2017_101

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  29. Kirkos G, Zodiatis G, Loizides L, Ioannou M (2017) Oil pollution in the waters of cyprus. In: Carpenter A, Kostianoy AG (eds) Oil pollution in the Mediterranean Sea: part II – national case studies, Hdb Env Chem, Springer, Berlin. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/698_2017_49

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  30. Benmecheta A, Belkhir L (2016) Oil pollution in the waters of Algeria. In: Carpenter A, Kostianoy AG (eds) Oil pollution in the Mediterranean Sea: part II – national case studies, Hdb Env Chem, Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/698_2016_57

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  31. ITOPF (2015) Oil tanker spill statistics 2014. International Tanker Owners Pollution Federation Limited (ITOPF), London. http://www.itopf.com/fileadmin/data/Documents/Company_Lit/Oil_Spill_Stats_2014FINALlowres.pdf. Accessed June 2018

  32. CEDRE (2018) Collision and oil spill off Corsica (webpage; last update 7/11/2018). http://wwz.cedre.fr/en/Menu-secondaire/Breaking-News/Collision-and-oil-spill-off-Corsica. Accessed Nov 2018

  33. Transportation Research Board and National Research Council (2003) Oil in the sea III: inputs, fates, and effects. The National Academies Press, Washington, DC. https://doi.org/10.17226/10388

    Google Scholar 

  34. Joint Group of Experts on the Scientific Aspects of Marine Pollution (GESAMP) (1993) Impact of oil and related chemicals on the marine environment. Reports and Studies No. 50. IMO, London

    Google Scholar 

  35. Global Marine Oil Pollution Information Gateway (2018) http://oils.gpa.unep.org/facts/sources.htm. Accessed 14 Aug 2018

  36. International Tanker Owners Petroleum Fund Ltd. (ITOPF) (n.d.) Haven, Italy, 1991 (webpage). https://www.itopf.org/in-action/case-studies/case-study/haven-italy-1991/. Accessed Nov 2018

  37. Kostianoy AG, Lavrova OY (eds) (2014) Oil pollution in the Baltic Sea. the handbook of environmental chemistry. Springer, Berlin. 268 pp

    Google Scholar 

  38. Carpenter A (ed) (2016) Oil pollution in the North Sea. The handbook of environmental chemistry, vol 41. Springer International Publishing Switzerland, 312 pp

    Google Scholar 

  39. Carpenter A (2018) Oil pollution in the North Sea: the impact of governance measures on oil pollution over several decades. Hydrobiologia, North Sea open science conference proceedings (Published online 12 March 2018). Doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-018-3559-2

  40. European Parliament and Council (2013) Directive 2013/30.EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 June 2013 on safety of offshore oil and gas operations and amending Directive 2004/35/EC. Off J Eur Union L 178/66 of 28.6.2013. https://euoag.jrc.ec.europa.eu/files/attachments/osd_final_eu_directive_2013_30_eu1.pdf. Accessed 27 Oct 2018

  41. Bellefontaine N, Johansson T (2015) The role of the international maritime organization in the prevention of pollution from ships: North Sea special status area. In: Carpenter A (ed) Oil pollution in the North Sea. The handbook of environmental chemistry, vol 41. Springer, Berlin. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/698_2014_294

    Google Scholar 

  42. International Convention on Oil Pollution Preparedness Response and Co-operation, 1990 (with annex and procès-verbal of rectification) (1990) Concluded at London on 30 November 1990 https://treaties.un.org/doc/Publication/UNTS/Volume%201891/volume-1891-I-32194-English.pdf. Accessed Nov 2018

  43. International Convention Relating to Intervention on the High Seas in Cases if Oil Pollution Casualties (with annex official Russian and Spanish translations and Final Act of the International Legal Conference on marine pollution damage) (1969) Concluded at Brussels on 29 November 1969. https://treaties.un.org/doc/Publication/UNTS/Volume%20970/volume-970-I-14049-English.pdf. Accessed Nov 2018

  44. International Maritime Organization (2015) International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973, as modified by the Protocol of 1978 (MARPOL 73/78). IMO, London. http://www.imo.org/About/Conventions/ListOfConventions/Pages/International-Convention-for-the-Prevention-of-Pollution-from-Ships-(MARPOL).aspx. Accessed June 2018

  45. IMO (n.d.) Special Areas under MARPOL (webpage). http://www.imo.org/en/OurWork/Environment/SpecialAreasUnderMARPOL/Pages/Default.aspx. Accessed Nov 2018

  46. International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973 as Modified by the Protocol of 1978, Annex I, Regulation 34; see also: MARPOL Annex 1 – Regulations for preventing oil pollution from ships http://shipsbusinesscom/causes-of-pollutionhtml. Accessed Nov 2018

  47. Homepage of the Mediterranean Sea MoU (n.d.) http://www.medmou.org/. Accessed Nov 2018

  48. Homepage of the Paris MoU (n.d.) https://www.parismou.org/. Accessed Nov 2018

  49. UNEP (n.d.) The Mediterranean Action Plan. http://www.unep.org/regionalseas/mediterranean. Accessed Nov 2018

  50. UNEP (n.d.) Protocol for the protection of the Mediterranean Sea against pollution resulting from exploration and exploitation of the continental shelf and the seabed and its subsoils. https://wedocs.unep.org/rest/bitstreams/2336/retrieve. Accessed Nov 2018

  51. UNEP (n.d.) Protocol concerning cooperation in preventing pollution from ships and, in cases of emergency, combatting pollution of the Mediterranean Sea. https://wedocs.unep.org/rest/bitstreams/2190/retrieve. Accessed Nov 2018

  52. UNEP (n.d.) Amendments to the protocol for the protection of the Mediterranean Sea against pollution from land-based sources. https://wedocs.unep.org/rest/bitstreams/2509/retrieve. Accessed Nov 2018

  53. UNEP (1976) Protocol on the prevention of pollution of the Mediterranean Sea by transboundary movements of hazardous wastes and their disposal. https://wedocsuneporg/rest/bitstreams/2593/retrieve. Accessed Nov 2018

  54. UNEP/MAP (2015) REMPEC’s 40th Anniversary. 11th meeting of the focal points of the Regional Marine Pollution Emergency Response Centre for the Mediterranean Sea (REMPEC), Malta, 15–17 June 2015 REMPEC/WG37/13. http://wwwrempecorg/admin/store/Information%20Resources/11thFPM/11th%20Focal%20Points%20Meeting%202015/English%20Documentation/Working%20Documents/E-%20FPM%202015%20WG%2037-13%20REMPEC%E2%80%99s%2040th%20Anniversarypdf. Accessed Nov 2018

  55. REMPEC (n.d.) Remote assistance. http://rempec.org/rempec.asp?theIDS=2_164&theName=RESPONSE&theID=9&daChk=0&pgType=1. Accessed Nov 2018

  56. Centre of Documentation, Research and Experimentation on Accidental Water Pollution – CEDRE (2017) Greece activates the Mediterranean Assistance Unit (MAU). https://wwz.cedre.fr/en/Breaking-News/Greece-activates-the-Mediterranean-Assistance-Unit-MAU. Accessed Nov 2018

  57. Carpenter A (2015) European Maritime Safety Agency CleanSeaNet activities in the North Sea. In: Carpenter A (ed) Oil pollution in the North Sea. The handbook of environmental chemistry, vol 41. Springer, Berlin. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/698_2015_429

    Google Scholar 

  58. ITOPF (n.d.) Erika, West of France, 1999 (webpage). https://www.itopf.org/in-action/case-studies/case-study/erika-west-of-france-1999/. Accessed Nov 2018

  59. European Commission (2000) Directive 2000/59/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 November 2000 on port reception facilities for ship-generated waste and cargo residues. Off J Eur Commun L332/81–90 of 28.12.2000

    Google Scholar 

  60. EMSA (2018) Implementation tasks – environment (webpage). http://www.emsa.europa.eu/implementation-tasks/environment.html. Accessed Nov 2018

  61. EMSA (2018) Operational tasks: pollution response services (webpage). http://www.emsa.europa.eu/operations/pollution-response-services.html. Accessed Nov 2018

  62. EMSA (2015) Stand-by oil spill response vessels: vessel network – technical specifications. EMSA, Lisbon. http://wwwemsaeuropaeu/oil-recovery-vessels/vessel-technical-specificationshtml. Accessed Nov 2018

  63. EMSA (2014) The CleanSeaNet service: taking measures to detect and deter marine pollution. EMSA, Lisbon. Pub. 29.08.2014. http://emsa.europa.eu/publications/information-leaflets-and-brochures/item/2123-the-cleanseanet-service.html

  64. European Space Agency (n.d.) Introducing Sentinel-1. Sentinel 1 information from ESA at http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Observing_the_Earth/Copernicus/Sentinel-1/Introducing_Sentinel-1

  65. Daniel P (2010) Oil spill models, environmental hydraulics series, Ch. 10, vol 2, pp 371–380, ISTE, Wiley

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  66. Cucco A, Sinerchia M, Ribotti A, Olita A, Fazioli L, Perilli A, Sorgente B, Borghini M, Schroeder K, Sorgente R (2012) A high-resolution real-time forecasting system for predicting the fate of oil spills in the Strait of Bonifacio (western Mediterranean Sea). Mar Pollut Bull 64(6):1186–1200. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2012.03.019

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The research by A.G. Kostianoy was partially supported in the framework of the Shirshov Institute of Oceanology RAS budgetary financing (Project N 149-2018-0003).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK

    Angela Carpenter

  2. Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia

    Andrey G. Kostianoy

  3. S.Yu. Witte Moscow University, Moscow, Russia

    Andrey G. Kostianoy

Authors
  1. Angela Carpenter
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Andrey G. Kostianoy
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Angela Carpenter .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK

    Angela Carpenter

  2. Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia, S.Yu. Witte Moscow University, Moscow, Russia

    Andrey G. Kostianoy

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2018 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Carpenter, A., Kostianoy, A.G. (2018). Conclusions for Part I: The International Context. In: Carpenter, A., Kostianoy, A. (eds) Oil Pollution in the Mediterranean Sea: Part I. The Handbook of Environmental Chemistry, vol 83. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/698_2018_374

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation