Enhancing Proactiveness and Mitigation Concerning Marine Oil Spill Accidents Within the Hellenic Seas

Marine oil spill accidents pose a serious threat to various countries within the wider European region. Extended pollution can harm marine wildlife and destroy vital habitats. Protecting the Hellenic Seas from oil spills is not only a matter of economic and social importance but also an environmental and ecological imperative. The Greek seas compose a vital natural resource and play a crucial role in the country's economy, culture, and overall well-being. The economy of Greece relies significantly on the country's natural resources including, its marine environment. Substantial economic damage can occur due to the loss of revenue from tourism fishing and other related industries. To successfully mitigate the risk of a potential hydrocarbon leakage within the Greek seas, proactive efforts must be placed on two different levels. Investing in preventing measures that minimize the probability of such accidents to occur, and perfecting emergency response plans to control and repair a potential marine oil spill accident. In order for the above to be achieved, meticulous analysis of all the factors that can lead to such an accident combined with its potential consequences is necessary. In the current study, focus is placed on the different locations where shipping accidents of collision and grounding have occurred throughout the Greek seas. The two types of accidents have been selected, as they have been linked to severe oil spill pollution. The ship's age, type and flag are studied alongside the location of the accident as contributing factors.

Keywords: Oil spill, Shipping accident, Environmental shipping, Oil spill prevention, Proactive analysis.

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