HELCOM: Baltic Sea Oil Spills on the Decline

The decline in detected oil spills, despite increased shipping and more intensive aerial surveillance, is likely due to a higher number of flight hours and the broader use of remote sensing equipment.
To monitor the commitments and to provide an overview of the situation in the region, the HELCOM Secretariat compiles annual data on discharges observed in the Baltic Sea area during national and jointly coordinated aerial surveillance activities.

Last year, only 32 harmful spills of mineral oil...