HELCOM cooperation ‐ HELCOM ti use of satellite data to use of satellite data to tackle oil spills at sea tackle oil spills at sea Ojars Gerke L t i C tG d Latvian Coast Guard Vice‐Chair of the HELCOM Response Working Group Satellite applications: opportunities for the Baltics, 19 May 2015, Riga, Latvia
Baltic Sea Baltic Sea Northern Europe p Small Semi‐enclosed Brackish Shallow Long residence time Long residence time Large catchment area 85 million inhabitants 9 coastal states Sensitive Low diversity Bad or poor status
Is it the i h future we want?
© WWF Germany
Illustration: Eric Liebermann
Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Baltic Sea Area 1992 (Helsinki Convention) of the Baltic Sea Area, 1992 (Helsinki Convention) • Convention Area • Definitions • Fundamental Principles: – Precautionary, BAT/BEP, PPP, transboundary P ti BAT/BEP PPP t b d
• Basic provisions •
Prevention, cooperation, communication
• Annexes
The 1992 Helsinki Convention entered into force on 17 January 2000
I. II II. III. IV. V V. VI. VII.
Harmful substances BEP/BAT Prevention of pollution from land sources Prevention of pollution from ships E Exemptions from prohibition of dumping ti f hibiti fd i Prevention of pollution from offshore activities Response to pollution incidents
Annex VII Response to pollution incidents espo se to po ut o c de ts Cooperation on aerial surveillance is p carried out in accordance with Annex VII, Regulations 1, 3, 4, 10 In order to prevent violations of the existing regulations on prevention of pollution from ships the Contracting Parties shall develop and apply individually or in cooperation, surveillance activities covering the Baltic Sea g Area in order to spot and monitor oil and other substances released to the sea, using inter alia, airborne surveillance equipped with remote airborne surveillance equipped with remote sensing systems
”...achieve a Baltic Sea in achieve a Baltic Sea in good environmental status by 2021”
Shipping • Some of the busiest shipping routes in the world • At any time 2,000 sizeable ships in the Baltic Sea • Shipping is increasing, especially oil p y transportations
Global and regional anti discharge regulations Global and regional anti‐discharge regulations Every ship entering the Baltic Sea is urged to comply with the anti‐pollution regulations of the Helsinki Convention. IMO MARPOL Special Area ‐ Annex I: Oil and oily mixtures A I Oil d il i ‐ Annex IV: Sewage from passenger ships ‐ Annex V: Garbage b Aerial surveillance is an important tool complemented with satellite surveillance to enforce anti‐discharge regulations
Sub‐group on Aerial Surveillance Sub g oup o e a Su e a e under HELCOM Response Working Group
• co‐operation in the field of joint aerial surveillance • co‐ordination of the satellite based oil spill surveillance • evaluation of results and operational effectiveness ope at o a e ect e ess • plan and carry out workshops and seminars and seminars
HELCOM Response Manual p Volume I, II & III • In practical terms, defines the Baltic procedures for international response operations at sea, on the shore and in the air • Volume I: Oil – Chapter 7: Cooperation on aerial surveillance Flight frequency Equipment Reporting formats C t t d t il t Contact details to responsible authorities ibl th iti List of waypoints Guidelines for satellite surveillance Guidelines for satellite surveillance
Why HELCOM cooperation? Why HELCOM cooperation? Effective and close regional coordination High level of preparednedss Clear operational routines Standardized reporting formats and information Standardized reporting formats and information exchange • Cooperation on improving existing systems and Cooperation on impro ing e isting s stems and developing new techniques • Long‐term data series covering the whole Baltic Sea • • • •
Satellite observations 2013 Satellite observations 2013 Country waters Denmark Estonia Finland Germany Latvia Lithuania Poland Russia Sweden Total
Verified satellite detections by country Confirmed other oil, Satellite Confirmed mineral chemical, sewage or Confirmed natural detections oil garbage phenomena Unknown substance 27 0 1 6 1 9 1 1 1 3 3 0 1 0 0 11 3 2 1 1 3 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 15 0 1 3 1 8 0 0 0 0 53 2 8 8 5 130 6 14 19 11
Nothing found
8 3 1 3 0 0 5 0 9 29
Not checked or no feedback 11 0 1 1 3 1 5 8 21 51
Disclaimer: • Feedback relates with the location of the spill and not with the country providing feedback (i.e. if Finland provides feedback for a spill in Estonian waters this is reported as verification in Estonian waters). • Information provided is based on feedback provided by the coastal States.
Latvia ‐ satellite observations 2014
Satellite Radarsat 2 image from 15 06 2014 Satellite Radarsat 2 image from 15.06.2014
Latvia ‐ satellite observations 2014
Oil spill not checked due to national policy and Oil spill not checked due to national policy and not confirmed by passing vessels
Latvia ‐ satellite observations 2014
Satellite Radarsat 2 image from 24 12 2014 Satellite Radarsat 2 image from 24.12.2014
Latvia ‐ satellite observations 2014
Oil spill checked by Estonian aircraft, not confirmed, natural phenomena ‐ water upwelling
Latvia ‐ satellite observations 2014 Swedish Coast Guard aircraft observation in the Latvian EEZ SLAR 14.12.2013, not detected by satellite on 15.12.2013
Latvia ‐ satellite observations 2014 Oil drift modelling and identification of polluter Oil drift modelling and identification of polluter by the Latvian Coast Guard
N Netherlands Co oast Guard
Thank you for your attention!
