Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Ensuring Safe Shipping in The Baltic
Ensuring Safe Shipping in The Baltic
Helsinki Commission
Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission
Contents
HELCOM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
Busy waters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
Sergey Vlasov
Detecting non-compliant ships . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
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sion (HELCOM).
Editorial team:
Monika Stankiewicz, HELCOM Professional Secretary,
Nikolay Vlasov, HELCOM Information Secretary
Design and layout: Leena Närhi, Bitdesign, Vantaa, Finland
Printed in Helsinki, Finland by DMP Oy
Front cover photos: Nikolay Vlasov, HELCOM (top), Kaj Granholm, HELCOM (bottom)
Back cover photos: Nikolay Vlasov, HELCOM (top), Markku Arovaara (bottom)
Sergey Vlasov
4
Nikolay Vlasov, HELCOM
200000
No. of crossings
150000
100000
50000
006
007
0
008 Passenger Cargo Tanker Other N/a
500000
453698
413774
400000 376671
No. of crossings
300000
200000
100000
0 5
2006 2007 2008
Mikhail Durkin, HELCOM
Number and percentage of ships crossing predefined AIS passage lines The transportation of oil and other potentially
in the Baltic Sea, 2006–2008 hazardous cargoes is growing steeply and stead-
ily. More than 4.400 tankers loaded with oil left
Passenger Cargo Tanker Other N/a Total
or entered the Baltic Sea in 2007. The oil being
shipped on the Baltic reached 170 million tonnes
2006 42731 226855 67458 39627 376671
in 2008 and a 40% increase is expected by the
% 11.3 60.2 17.9 10.5 0.0 100.0
year 2015. The use of much bigger tankers is also
2007 43215 237342 69335 56981 6901 413774
expected to rise – there will be more tankers in
% 10.4 57.4 16.8 13.8 1.7 100.0 the Baltic carrying 100,000-150,000 tonnes of oil.
2008 49355 210021 61996 122029 10297 453698
% 10.9 46.3 13.7 26.9 2.3 100.0
50
0
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008
Million tonnes
6
Ensuring maritime safety
The Baltic Sea States have agreed on certain safety
measures in the Baltic Sea area, such as ship traffic
monitoring, ship routeing systems; including
numerous traffic separation schemes and deep
water routes, ship reporting, pilotage, measures
related to safety of winter navigation. Mariners’
Routeing Guide for the Baltic Sea has been pre- Nikolay Vlasov, HELCOM
7
Irina Gasilina
More safety – less accidents and ship reporting systems introduced in the Baltic
While every year there are more and more ships (e.g. Gulf of Finland Reporting System - GOFREP)
plying the waters of the Baltic Sea, the occur- have had a positive effect on the safety of naviga-
rence of ship-to-ship collisions, one of the most tion and might have contributed to the reduced
serious types of accidents at sea, has decreased number of collisions over the recent years, espe-
sharply since 2005, especially in such a busy traffic cially in the Gulf of Finland.
area like the Gulf of Finland. On average there
are about 120 accidents per year within the Baltic Currently the most common type of accidents is
region with only a few accidents resulting in small- groundings, accounting for almost a half of all the
scale pollution. reported cases in 2007. Collisions are the second
most frequent type of shipping accidents (33%).
The annual ship-to-ship collisions have decreased, This includes collisions with vessels, fixed or float-
despite an overall 10% increase in the ship traffic ing structures, e.g. peers, navigation signs etc. In
in the Baltic compared to 2006.The launch of 2007 there were only 15 ship-to-ship collisions.
HELCOM AIS in 2005, traffic separation schemes That is 50% less than in 2005 and 2006. Other
major types of accidents include fires (8%) and
machinery damage (6%).
Number of accidents in the Baltic Sea, 2000-2007
Of all the oil spills during the past few years, the
largest contained 12 tonnes of oil (following a
grounding in heavy weather conditions in Latvia),
the second largest was no more than 0.2 tonnes of
oil (following a collision off Kaliningrad).
10
lower (3%). Two of the five most serious accidents 8
8
in the Baltic marine area have occurred since 2001
6
– involving “Baltic Carrier” in 2001 (2,700 tonnes 6 5
9
Fighting illicit oil spills detected during 3,500 flight hours. Since 1999, the
Deliberate oil discharges from ships are one of the number of discharges has been steadily decreasing.
most serious problems in the Baltic Sea, requiring
much attention from HELCOM. Illegal discharges Currently the annual number of deliberate, illegal oil
have been regularly observed during surveillance discharges from ships observed by national surveil-
flights over the Baltic Sea since 1988. One of lance planes and satellites over the Baltic Sea area
the peak years was 1989, when 763 spills were has dramatically decreased and remains at record
lows - at around 240 incidents per 4,000 hours of
The total number of flight hours and observed oil spills in the surveillance flights. Most of the illegal oil discharges
HELCOM area during aerial surveillance, 1988-2007
are detected along major shipping routes.
900 6000
800
5000 Up to 90% of the discharges are less than one
700
No. of detected oil spills
cubic metre and even less than 100 litre. The total
500
estimated volume of oil spills observed in 2007 was
3000
400 125.4 cubic metres.
300 2000
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
00
01
03
02
04
05
06
07
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
Year
11
Tightening control Average annual contribution of NOx emissions from
HELCOM countries and shipping in the Baltic to
on emissions the deposition of total nitrogen to the Baltic Sea
in the period 2000 - 2006
Atmospheric nitrogen deposition is one of the Baltic
main contributors to the high nutrient concen- shipping, 5%
S content in fuel oil SOx emissions (kilotonnes) The HELCOM Contracting States have been jointly
contributing to relevant global legislative develop-
2.5
2.4 % m/m 147 ments and policy making processes to ensure that
137
the highest practicable standards to control and
2
* revised Annex VI to MARPOL 73/78 prevent pollution from ships, also to the air, are
1.5
1.5 m/m
applied. For example, as a result of such a joint
1.0 % m/m* proposal to the International Maritime Organisa-
1
tion (IMO), the Baltic Sea has been designated as
0.5
0.1 % m/m* a SOx emission control area (SECA) under Annex
0
1
VI to MARPOL 73/78.
19.5.2006 1.7.2010 1.1.2015 2006 2007
1
PRE- SECA SECA Moreover, HELCOM countries submitted two joint
Sulphur (S) content in fuel oil used onboard ships in the Baltic Sea documents to the 57th session of the IMO Marine
before and after establishing the Baltic as a SOx Emission Control Area Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) in
(SECA) and total SOx emissions (kilotonnes) from shipping in the Baltic
in 2006 and 2007
2008 calling for tighter international regulations
to prevent a predicted sharp increase in NOx
emissions from ships in the Baltic Sea as well as
describing the Baltic region’s experience as a SOx
Shares of total NOx emissions by ship type, compared to ships’ share Emission Control Area (SECA).
in the traffic in the Baltic Sea, 2006, and total NOx emissions (kilotonnes)
from shipping in the Baltic in 2006 and 2007
The revised Annex VI to MARPOL 73/78, adopted
400
40.0 370 by MEPC 58, puts new limits for the sulphur
34.4
35.0 31.7
30.0
content of any fuel oil used on board ships within
25.0
20.5 20.4
the Baltic SECA, and requires world-wide that
20.0 17.7 16.7
14.1 marine diesel engines installed on ships con-
15.0 12.3
10.0 7.9 structed on or after 1 January 2011 to achieve
5.9 4.6 5.2
5.0 4.0 4.5
a 15% reduction level of NOx in comparison to
0.0
ips hip
s
hip
s er s hip
s ed rs 2006 2007 the current legislation. It also provides for estab-
sh os os nk rs r at r r ie
g er R rg l ta he d g e ships lk c a
en Ro Ca ic a Ot r i
ef g o Bu lishing of NOx Emission Control Areas (NECA),
ss ral m
Pa ne he & R Car
Ge l /C er
Oi in requiring ships being constructed on or after 1
nt a
Co
January 2016 and operating in a NECA to reduce
share of ship types in total number of ships %
share of NO x emissions from different ship types in total annual NO x emissions, % their NOx emission by 80% in comparison to the
current situation.
Sergey Vlasov
13
Nikolay Vlasov, HELCOM
Working towards stricter routes, are immediately available for uptake by
sewage discharge regulations planktonic algae adding to the severe eutrophica-
tion of the Baltic Sea.
The nutrient pollution loads originating from waste
water discharges from ships into the Baltic Sea The ship-borne nitrogen load represents approxi-
remain rather small, but not negligible due to the mately 0.04% of the total nitrogen load (744,900
high sensitivity of the marine environment. These tonnes), and the phosphorus load represents
loads, which are concentrated along shipping approximately 0.3% of the total phosphorus load
(34,500 tonnes) into the Baltic Sea. Excessive loads
of phosphorus and nitrogen have a detrimental
impact on the marine environment. Phosphorus
is directly responsible for the mass occurrences of
blue-green algae which form foul-smelling, pos-
sibly toxic masses and make the water unfit for
swimming. In the Gulf of Finland, where maritime
traffic has increased rapidly, the annual phospho-
rus load from ships is now almost the same as from
the four largest Finnish coastal cities along the Gulf
of Finland- Espoo, Hamina, Kotka, and Porvoo.
tions. But the nutrient loads caused by nitrogen regulations to be extended to cover also nutrients.
and phosphorus released from ships in sewage are This initiative is part of the HELCOM Baltic Sea
currently not regulated. Action Plan with a target of eliminating the dis-
charge of sewage from ships, especially from pas-
In response to the need for new regulations on senger ships and ferries.
wastewater discharges from ships in the Baltic Sea,
HELCOM has started work on a joint submission to
the IMO, calling for the existing sewage treatment
Nikolay Vlasov, HELCOM
15
Protecting the sea from water or brackish-water environments, particularly
invasive alien species from North America or the Ponto-Caspian region.
Due to increasing shipping, more alien species In order to reduce the risks of such species entering
are finding their way into the Baltic Sea than ever the HELCOM maritime area through ballast water
before. These non-indigenous invaders can induce exchange, the HELCOM countries have agreed to
considerable changes in the structure and dynamics ratify by 2010, or at the latest by 2013, the 2004
of marine ecosystems. They may also hamper the International Convention for the Control and Man-
economic use of the sea or even represent a risk to agement of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments
human health. Over 120 non-native aquatic species (Ballast Water Management Convention, BWMC).
have been recorded in the Baltic Sea to date, and Before ratification can take place, certain steps
around 80 of these have established viably repro- must be taken as set out in the HELCOM Road
ducing populations in some parts of the Baltic. Map drawn up to facilitate the implementation of
Most of these invasive species originate from fresh- the Convention.
16
Nikolay Vlasov, HELCOM
As of 1 April 2008 HELCOM countries, together Additionally, to prepare for implementation of the
with OSPAR countries of the North-East Atlantic, Ballast Water Management Convention HELCOM
have been applying General Guidance according has developed a list of non-indigenous, cryptogenic
to which vessels transiting the Atlantic or enter- and harmful native species in the Baltic Sea.
ing the North-East Atlantic from routes passing
the West African Coast are requested to carry Also, the Target Species that may impair or
out ballast water exchange on a voluntary basis damage the environment, human health, property
before arriving in the OSPAR area or passing or resources in the Baltic Sea have been listed. The
through the OSPAR area and heading to the Baltic lists are to facilitate risk assessments which are
Sea. Vessels are expected to carry out ballast required in order to make use of Regulation A-4 of
water exchange in waters of specific depth and the BWMC allowing certain ships or routes to be
distance from the coast. exempted from the requirements of ballast water
management. The HELCOM Target Species list
Vessels leaving the Baltic and transiting through the includes the relevant species from the North Sea
OSPAR maritime area to other destinations will also region, the Ponto-Caspian region and the North
be requested as of 1 January 2010 not to exchange American Great Lakes, as they are considered as
their ballast water either in the Baltic or until the high risk donor areas due to similar climate and
vessel was 200 nm off the coast off North-West salinity ranges as the Baltic Sea and records of
Europe in waters greater than 200 m deep. donating alien species in the past.
Elena Bulycheva
17
Identifying suspects of illegal
discharges
The Seatrack Web oil drift forecasting system in
combination with the HELCOM Automatic Identi-
fication System (HELCOM STW/AIS) has proved to
be a very effective tool, substantially facilitating the
efforts of the HELCOM countries to identify ships
suspected of illegally discharging oil into the sea,
and providing better evidence for the courts.
Detecting non-compliant
ships
A system to detect single hull tankers carrying heavy
grade oil entering the Baltic Sea was put into opera-
tion on 15 October 2007. The system has been pro-
duced within the HELCOM/EMSA Single Hull Tanker
Project, based on the HELCOM AIS. Its aim is to
monitor ships’ compliance with the provisions of the
amended Annex I of the MARPOL 73/78 and the EC
Regulation 1726/2003 on the carriage of heavy oil in
single hull tankers.
Snapshot from the HELCOM Seatrack Web showing
an oil slick and its backtracking trajectory (in red) More than 140 active single hull tankers have
together with the route of a suspected ship been detected in the Baltic Sea since the system
was launched. Six of these vessels failed to
answer calls from the VTS and were likely to be
carrying heavy grade oil. The system has the
potential to be employed in many other similar
monitoring applications, including for example
automated screening for banned vessels such as
those identified under the 1982 Paris Memoran-
dum of Understanding on Port State Control.
18
Nikolay Vlasov, HELCOM
19
www.helcom.fi