Tanker Spills Show Declining Trend

ITOPF\'s annual tanker spills analysis released on 14th February 2012 shows that the trend towards fewer spills from tankers and less oil spilt is being maintained. Only one large spill from a tanker occurred in 2011; the same as for 2008 and 2009. With only four medium sized spills recorded for the second year in a row, this means that 2011 saw just five spills of greater than 7 tonnes (50 bbls) from tankers, the lowest on record. 

Hand in hand with this, the total volume of oil spilt in 2011 was also the lowest on record and, at approximately 1,000 tonnes, represents an infinitesimally small percentage of the volume of oil moved by sea. This combination of record lows is especially encouraging given the ever increasing quantities of oil transported by sea.

 

ITOPF maintains a database of oil spills from tankers, combined carriers and barges. This contains information on accidental spillages since 1970, except those resulting from acts of war. The data held includes the type of oil spilt, the spill amount, the cause and location of the incident and the vessel involved. For historical reasons, spills are generally categorised by size, small (<7 tonnes or <50 bbls), medium (7-700 tonnes or 50-5,000 bbls) and large (>700 tonnes or >5,000 bbls), although the actual amount spilt is also recorded. Information is now held on nearly 10,000 incidents, the vast majority of which (81%) falls into the smallest category i.e. <7 tonnes.

 

This year, analysis of the causes of large spills since 1970 has allowed a more detailed breakdown of vessel operations taking place at the time of the incident. This analysis has revealed that 50% of large spills occurred while the vessel was underway in open water with allisions, collisions and groundings accounting for just over half of these. These same causes accounted for some 95% of incidents when the vessel was underway in inland or restricted waters.

 

Further details on the number and quantity of spills from tanker accidents since 1970, together with figures and tables are available on the statistics page of ITOPF's website.