Risk of a Collision-Related Oil Spill on the Gulf of Finland Could Up to Quadruple in the Future

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Gulf of Finland. Photo source: ©© J. Piekkala

Excerpts;

A single oil spill can release 30,000 tons of oil into the ocean if two vessels collide. In grounding the high weight can lead to oil disaster, in the Baltic Sea up to 120,000 tons. This estimate does not include the new giant tankers.

The Gulf of Finland in the Baltic Sea is the riskiest of waterways in the world’s oceans due to the high frequency of crossing vessels between Helsinki and Tallinn. Oil tanker traffic to Russia in particular has continued to increase despite a bleak financial outlook.The Gulf of Finland is famously difficult for maritime traffic as it is shallow and narrow and requires navigation around the many islands along the Finnish coast. In winter, darkness and ice make navigation even more challenging…

Read Full Article, Science Daily

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