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BIODIVERSITY PROTECTED
“THE VOICE OF LIFE4MEDECA”
Biodiversity Protected
INTRODUCTION
The increasing use of low sulphur marine fuels presents new challenges for marine environmental protection. These fuels, while reducing atmospheric emissions, exhibit unique chemical and physical properties—such as high pour points and complex compositions—that influence their behavior in the event of accidental or intentional spills. Their lower volatility and variable viscosity can hinder traditional remediation efforts, including dispersants, mechanical recovery, and in-situ burning. Despite showing generally low acute toxicity in standard bioassays, these fuels may still pose long-term risks to marine ecosystems, particularly affecting sensitive species such as zooplankton and fish through bioaccumulation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Understanding the weathering processes, toxicity profiles, and cleanup costs is essential for developing effective spill response strategies and regulatory frameworks. A multidisciplinary approach involving chemical analysis, ecological risk assessment, and socio-economic evaluation is required to ensure both environmental protection and operational readiness.
  • DETAILS OF THE INTERVENTION
The LIFEMEDECA report, “Additional socio-economic assessment,” aims to carry out further socio-economic assessments (as mandated by the COP21 roadmap) and address emerging scientific and technical issues that could hinder the proper evaluation of needs and barriers toward establishing a Mediterranean Emission Control Area (MED ECA).
This report focuses on study (a): the impact of MEDECA on biodiversity, particularly regarding the behavior of low-sulphur oils in the event of a spill into the sea.
Due to limited data availability, this report presents recent and ongoing studies and preliminary results. The problem is introduced using statistics on oil spills, costs of remediation, and their effects on marine biodiversity.
The core of the analysis is to understand the environmental impact of new low-sulphur fuels and the effectiveness of cleanup measures.
Initial findings show the need for more systematic, targeted research to support future regulations and enhance emergency preparedness in the case of low-sulphur fuel spills, where rapid response is crucial to minimizing environmental and financial impacts.
Oil spill density for the Mediterranean Sea for the period 1999–2004. (Ferraro 2009)
  • Oil Spill Statistics in the Mediterranean
  • Maritime transport is the leading source of marine oil pollution, especially in the Mediterranean Sea.
  • The region hosts 30% of global seaborne trade and 25% of oil traffic, with over 450 ports and terminals.
  • Data from REMPEC, EMSA, and ITOPF reveal over 2,000 spills in recent decades.
  • Most spills occur near coasts, especially around Piraeus, Israel, Lebanon, the northern Adriatic, and Malta.
  • REMPEC and ITOPF indicate higher spill concentration near shores; EMSA indicates spill detection further offshore.
  • The highest cumulative spill densities: Lebanon (2.18 spills/1000 km²) and Turkey (2.14 spills/1000 km²).
Annual number of oil spills in the Mediterranean
  • Cleanup Costs
  • Cleanup costs vary significantly depending on:
    • Spill size and location (nearshore spills are 4–5x costlier).
    • Oil type (heavy fuels are 10x more expensive to clean than diesel).
    • Method of cleanup and weather conditions.
  • Historical costs (in 1999 USD/ton):
    • Italy: $6,541 → ~$9,804 in 2022
    • Mediterranean average:$5,631
  • Indirect costs (e.g. tourism, fisheries) can exceed direct remediation costs.
    • Example: 1991 “Heaven” tanker spill cost Italy over €1 billion in total damages.
  • Biodiversity Impact
  • Marine fuel oil toxicity is mainly driven by PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons), which are persistent and harmful even in low concentrations.
  • PAHs affect:
    • Zooplankton: reduced feeding, narcosis, reproductive failure (notably in copepods).
    • Fish: long-term exposure can cause lesions, mutations, cancers (e.g. Deepwater Horizon study).
    • Marine invertebrates: bioaccumulation and chronic toxicity across various species.
  • Mediterranean seafood PAH levels remain under legal limits but are rising in some zones.
  • What needs to be measured
To evaluate spill behavior and environmental impact, it’s essential to measure:
  • Density: affects buoyancy.
  • Evaporation tendency: linked to oil persistence.
  • Viscosity: influences dispersion and emulsification.
  • Pour point: risk of solidification (high for low-sulphur fuels).
  • Flash point: fire hazard in emergency operations.
  • RECOMMENDATIONS
  1. Collect and analyze the results of the IMAROS project;
  2. Encourage and support the collection of additional ULSFO samples
  3. Perform tests and numerical simulations to analyze the chemical-physical characteristics of ULSFOs and to predict their behavior in sea water under realistic weather and sea conditions;
  4. Analyze the toxicity of ULSFO to assess the impact on marine biodiversity;
  5. Analyze the proper remediation strategies to be prepared in case of accidents;
  6. Suggest new regulations to define an upper limit for the pour point;
  7. Quantify the economic impact (direct and indirect costs) of oil spills;
  8. Translate the results of the analyses into socio-economic indexes.

    Moreover, it could be of support for short- and long-term toxicity analyses on marine species to:

  9. Develop a common and open-access database based on both reports and remote sensing acquisition methods;
  10. Improve remote sensing data analysis techniques.
  • REFERENCES
  1. REMPEC 2011, Statistical Analysis Alerts and Accidents Database Mediterranean Action Plan (MAP) Regional Marine Pollution Emergency Response Centre For The Mediterranean Sea. IMO/UNEP, p. 26. Available at: http://www.rempec.org/admin/store/wyswigImg/file/Tools/Operationaltools/Alerts and accidentsdatabase/Statistics accidents 2011 EN FINAL.pdf.
  2. Polinov S., Bookman R., Noam L., Spatial and temporal assessment of oil spills in the Mediterranean Sea. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 167, 2021.
  3. REMPEC 2018. Introduction to Rempec Database on Alerts and Accidents. REMPEC. Available at: http://old.rempec.org/admin/store/wyswigImg/EN%20Introduction%20DB.pdf.
  4. Ferraro G., Meyer-Roux S., Muellenhoff O., Pavliha M., Svetak, J., Tarchi D., Topouzelis K., Long term monitoring of oil spills in European seas. International Journal of Remote Sensing Vol. 30, No. 3, 10 February 2009, 627–645.
  5. ITOPF 2018, Promoting Effective Spill Response, pp. 1–52. Available at: http://www.itopf.com/fileadmin/data/Documents/Company_Lit/ITOPF_Handbook_2018.pdf 
  6. Etkin D.S., Worldwide Analysis of Marine Oil Spill Cleanup Cost Factors. Presented at: Arctic and Marine Oilspill Program Technical Seminar, June 2000.
  7. White J. C., Molloy, F. C., Factors that determine the cost of oil spills. International Oil Spill Conference Proceedings, April 2003.
  8. Prendergast D.P., Gschwend P.M., Assessing the performance and cost of oil spill remediation technologies. Journal of Cleaner Production, 78, 2014.
  9. Yuewen D., Adzigbli L., Assessing the Impact of Oil Spills on Marine Organisms. Journal of Oceanography and Marine Research 6:179, 2018.
  10. Jonander C., Dahllof I., Short and long-term effects of low-sulphur fuels on marine zooplankton communities. Aquatic Toxicology 227, 2020.
  11. Pulster E.L., Gracia A., Armenteros M., Toro-Farmer G., Snyder S.M., Carr B.E., Schwaab M. R., Nicholson T.J., Mrowicki j., Murawski S.A., A First Comprehensive Baseline of Hydrocarbon Pollution in Gulf of Mexico Fishes. Nature Scientific Reports (2020) 10:6437 | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-62944-6.
  12. De Giovanni A., Abondio P., Frapiccini E., Luiselli D., Marini, M., Meta-Analysis of a New Georeferenced Database on Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Western and Central Mediterranean Seafood. Appl. Sci. 2022, 12, 2776. https://doi.org/10.3390/app12062776
  13. ISPRA, Quaderni delle Emergenze ambientali in mare. Sversamento di idrocarburi in mare: stima delle conseguenze ambientali e valutazione delle tipologie di intervento, 2014. In Italian.
  14. Hellstrom, K.C., Weathering properties and toxicity of marine fuel oils. Sintef report OC2017-A124, 2017.
  15. Scarlett A. G., Nelson R.K., Gagnon M. M., Holman A. I., Reddy C.M., Sutton P.A., Grice K., MV Wakashio grounding incident in Mauritius 2020: The world’s first major spillage of Very Low Sulfur Fuel Oil. Marine Pollution Bulletin 171, 2021.
  16. Faksness L., Altin D., Dolva H., Nordtug T., Chemical and toxicological characterisation of residues from offshore in-situ burning of spilled fuel oils. Toxicology Reports 9,2022.
  17. Sørheim, K. R., Daling, P. S., Cooper, D., Bust, I., Faksness, L. G., Altin, D., Pettersen, T., Bakken, O. M. Characterization of Low Sulfur Fuel Oils (LSFO) – A new generation of marine fuel oils. SINTEF Report n. OC2020 A-050, 2020. Available on line at: https://sintef.brage.unit.no/sintef-xmlui/handle/11250/2655946.
  18. C. Jonander, I. Dahllof, Short and long-term effects of low-sulphur fuels on marine zooplankton communities. Aquatic Toxicology 227, 2020.
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  • RECENT AND ONGOING PROJECTS AND ACTIVITIES

Several international studies have investigated the behavior, toxicity, and environmental response strategies associated with low sulphur marine fuels (VLSFO and ULSFO):

🔹 Norwegian Coastal Administration (2016–2017)

One of the first projects to experimentally assess the chemical and physical properties, toxicity, and remediation techniques for low sulphur marine fuels. (2) Konsekvenser for bygningskonstruksjonene – SINTEF

🔹 Multi-Client Project: “Characterization of Low Sulphur Fuel Oils” (2020)

Joint effort by MPRI/DFO Canada, ITOPF, and the Norwegian Coastal Administration to evaluate fuel behavior, toxicity, and response strategies through laboratory tests. SINTEF Report OC2020 A-050

🔹 FORMAS / FRAM Centre (Sweden, 2020)

A research initiative led by the University of Gothenburg, focusing on short- and long-term effects of LSFO spills on marine zooplankton.

FRAM Centre FORMAS – Swedish Research Council

🔹 AMSA – Australian Maritime Safety Authority (2021)

AMSA conducted extensive tests on VLSFOs in Australian waters to evaluate spill response and fuel behavior.

AMSA VLSFO Study

🔹 IMAROS Project – Improving MARine Oil Spill response

Funded under the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, this project focuses on identifying properties of modern marine fuels and refining response protocols.

IMAROS – Kystverket (Norwegian Coastal Administration)

🔹 Wakashio Oil Spill Case (2020)

The MV Wakashio incident off the coast of Mauritius was the first major spill involving VLSFO. Analyses showed lower PAH content but potential long-term ecological risks. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112799