De problematiek van olieverontreiniging door schepen in de Belgische belangenzone van de Noordzee: bevindingen na vijf jaar toezicht vanuit de lucht

At the end of 1996 the Management Unit of North Sea Mathematical Models released an activity report on the first five years of Belgian aerial surveillance (1991-1995). This paper, which is based on that activity report, deals with the problem of accidental oil pollution resulting from maritime accidents in the Belgian zone of interest. It also gives an overview of the illegal operational pollutions from ships in that zone. On the basis of the annual surveillance data and a simple extrapolation method it is estimated that the total quantity annually released in illegal operational oil spills is most probably of the same order of magnitude or greater than the accidental releases

Oil pollution in the North Sea: the impact of governance measures on oil pollution over several decades

Oil pollution entering the marine environment has been an issue of concern for many decades. It can come from riverine or land-based sources, accidental and intentional discharges from ships, or as a by-product of offshore oil extraction. Growing awareness of the impact of oil pollution on the marine environment has led, since the late 1960s, to the introduction of measures to reduce or eliminate pollution from shipping and the offshore oil industry. A framework for environmental protection of the North Sea has developed over many decades through international agreements, regional cooperation, and national measures, while education has also played an important role with modern-day sailors being given due training to understand that dumping waste at sea is illegal in many areas, and is harmful to the marine environment. This paper presents data on trends in pollution from ships and oil installations. While significant reductions in oil pollution have been identified over more than two decades, there remain some areas where action is needed to reduce inputs still further, especially from oil and gas platforms