LevelPressure

LevelPressureContaminant

ImpactPressureSeabedHabitats

ImpactPressureFunctionalGroup

Maritime traffic is one major sector contributing to 'pollution events' in Maltese marine waters from discharges of bilges, as well as accidental pollution: the two large spills recorded prior to 1999 were the result of vessel grounding / sinking. The Mediterranean Sea is a major route for oil and cargo vessels. Malta is situated along a number of main shipping lanes with over 65,000 vessels passing within 20 nautical miles of the Maltese Islands. Main types of vessels are Container (25%) and Merchant (26%) vessels, while tanker vessels account for about 16% of the total number of vessels. In terms of risk, tanker shipping routes represent potential areas of higher risk since significant pollution events may occur as a result of vessel collisions, groundings and other accidents. Projections are for an increase of 18% in vessel activity over ten years from 2008, with chemical tanker and container vessels showing the highest rates of growth in respect of port callings within the Mediterranean. Shipping-related activities such as bunkering and port operations also contribute to pollution events. Within the ports and bunkering areas, pollution may occur in connection to errors and accidents during the various operations that take place involving transfer of fuel as cargo or for bunkering. Specific areas within Maltese waters that are at risk for pollution events from bunkering and port operations are the two ports of Grand Harbour and Marsaxlokk, the five offshore areas designated for bunkering, and the waiting area for vessels en route to Malta, which area is used on a regular basis by vessels waiting to enter the Malta Freeport or Marsaxlokk Harbour for bunkering. Pollution events affecting the marine environment may also occur as a result of accidental leakage or operational incidents from land based industry, particularly fuel storage installations. In Malta, the main areas at risk of oil / chemical spills from land based sources are the Grand Harbour and Marsaxlokk, mainly in view of the number and type of land based installations present within these ports and the related vessel activity. In fact, a substantial share of all recorded oil spills within Maltese waters in the last 12 years occurred within the Grand Harbour and Marsaxlokk. While this data may not necessarily provide a full picture of spills in Maltese waters, given that spills within the ports are unlikely to go unnoticed and unrecorded, unlike spills in other coastal or offshore areas, the element of risk is greater in ports than in other areas in view of the number and type of land based installations present within the ports and the related vessel activity. Data available was insufficient for ranking of bunkering / port-related activities and land based industry.

Maritime traffic is one major sector contributing to 'pollution events' in Maltese marine waters from discharges of bilges, as well as accidental pollution: the two large spills recorded prior to 1999 were the result of vessel grounding / sinking. The Mediterranean Sea is a major route for oil and cargo vessels. Malta is situated along a number of main shipping lanes with over 65,000 vessels passing within 20 nautical miles of the Maltese Islands. Main types of vessels are Container (25%) and Merchant (26%) vessels, while tanker vessels account for about 16% of the total number of vessels. In terms of risk, tanker shipping routes represent potential areas of higher risk since significant pollution events may occur as a result of vessel collisions, groundings and other accidents. Projections are for an increase of 18% in vessel activity over ten years from 2008, with chemical tanker and container vessels showing the highest rates of growth in respect of port callings within the Mediterranean. Shipping-related activities such as bunkering and port operations also contribute to pollution events. Within the ports and bunkering areas, pollution may occur in connection to errors and accidents during the various operations that take place involving transfer of fuel as cargo or for bunkering. Specific areas within Maltese waters that are at risk for pollution events from bunkering and port operations are the two ports of Grand Harbour and Marsaxlokk, the five offshore areas designated for bunkering, and the waiting area for vessels en route to Malta, which area is used on a regular basis by vessels waiting to enter the Malta Freeport or Marsaxlokk Harbour for bunkering. Pollution events affecting the marine environment may also occur as a result of accidental leakage or operational incidents from land based industry, particularly fuel storage installations. In Malta, the main areas at risk of oil / chemical spills from land based sources are the Grand Harbour and Marsaxlokk, mainly in view of the number and type of land based installations present within these ports and the related vessel activity. In fact, a substantial share of all recorded oil spills within Maltese waters in the last 12 years occurred within the Grand Harbour and Marsaxlokk. While this data may not necessarily provide a full picture of spills in Maltese waters, given that spills within the ports are unlikely to go unnoticed and unrecorded, unlike spills in other coastal or offshore areas, the element of risk is greater in ports than in other areas in view of the number and type of land based installations present within the ports and the related vessel activity. Data available was insufficient for ranking of bunkering / port-related activities and land based industry.

Maritime traffic is one major sector contributing to 'pollution events' in Maltese marine waters from discharges of bilges, as well as accidental pollution: the two large spills recorded prior to 1999 were the result of vessel grounding / sinking. The Mediterranean Sea is a major route for oil and cargo vessels. Malta is situated along a number of main shipping lanes with over 65,000 vessels passing within 20 nautical miles of the Maltese Islands. Main types of vessels are Container (25%) and Merchant (26%) vessels, while tanker vessels account for about 16% of the total number of vessels. In terms of risk, tanker shipping routes represent potential areas of higher risk since significant pollution events may occur as a result of vessel collisions, groundings and other accidents. Projections are for an increase of 18% in vessel activity over ten years from 2008, with chemical tanker and container vessels showing the highest rates of growth in respect of port callings within the Mediterranean. Shipping-related activities such as bunkering and port operations also contribute to pollution events. Within the ports and bunkering areas, pollution may occur in connection to errors and accidents during the various operations that take place involving transfer of fuel as cargo or for bunkering. Specific areas within Maltese waters that are at risk for pollution events from bunkering and port operations are the two ports of Grand Harbour and Marsaxlokk, the five offshore areas designated for bunkering, and the waiting area for vessels en route to Malta, which area is used on a regular basis by vessels waiting to enter the Malta Freeport or Marsaxlokk Harbour for bunkering. Pollution events affecting the marine environment may also occur as a result of accidental leakage or operational incidents from land based industry, particularly fuel storage installations. In Malta, the main areas at risk of oil / chemical spills from land based sources are the Grand Harbour and Marsaxlokk, mainly in view of the number and type of land based installations present within these ports and the related vessel activity. In fact, a substantial share of all recorded oil spills within Maltese waters in the last 12 years occurred within the Grand Harbour and Marsaxlokk. While this data may not necessarily provide a full picture of spills in Maltese waters, given that spills within the ports are unlikely to go unnoticed and unrecorded, unlike spills in other coastal or offshore areas, the element of risk is greater in ports than in other areas in view of the number and type of land based installations present within the ports and the related vessel activity. Data available was insufficient for ranking of bunkering / port-related activities and land based industry.

Maritime traffic is one major sector contributing to 'pollution events' in Maltese marine waters from discharges of bilges, as well as accidental pollution: the two large spills recorded prior to 1999 were the result of vessel grounding / sinking. The Mediterranean Sea is a major route for oil and cargo vessels. Malta is situated along a number of main shipping lanes with over 65,000 vessels passing within 20 nautical miles of the Maltese Islands. Main types of vessels are Container (25%) and Merchant (26%) vessels, while tanker vessels account for about 16% of the total number of vessels. In terms of risk, tanker shipping routes represent potential areas of higher risk since significant pollution events may occur as a result of vessel collisions, groundings and other accidents. Projections are for an increase of 18% in vessel activity over ten years from 2008, with chemical tanker and container vessels showing the highest rates of growth in respect of port callings within the Mediterranean. Shipping-related activities such as bunkering and port operations also contribute to pollution events. Within the ports and bunkering areas, pollution may occur in connection to errors and accidents during the various operations that take place involving transfer of fuel as cargo or for bunkering. Specific areas within Maltese waters that are at risk for pollution events from bunkering and port operations are the two ports of Grand Harbour and Marsaxlokk, the five offshore areas designated for bunkering, and the waiting area for vessels en route to Malta, which area is used on a regular basis by vessels waiting to enter the Malta Freeport or Marsaxlokk Harbour for bunkering. Pollution events affecting the marine environment may also occur as a result of accidental leakage or operational incidents from land based industry, particularly fuel storage installations. In Malta, the main areas at risk of oil / chemical spills from land based sources are the Grand Harbour and Marsaxlokk, mainly in view of the number and type of land based installations present within these ports and the related vessel activity. In fact, a substantial share of all recorded oil spills within Maltese waters in the last 12 years occurred within the Grand Harbour and Marsaxlokk. While this data may not necessarily provide a full picture of spills in Maltese waters, given that spills within the ports are unlikely to go unnoticed and unrecorded, unlike spills in other coastal or offshore areas, the element of risk is greater in ports than in other areas in view of the number and type of land based installations present within the ports and the related vessel activity. Data available was insufficient for ranking of bunkering / port-related activities and land based industry.

• "Shipping & floating structures (all vessels
• Industry
• Ports

• "Shipping & floating structures (all vessels
• Industry
• Ports

• "Shipping & floating structures (all vessels
• Industry
• Ports

• "Shipping & floating structures (all vessels
• Industry
• Ports

The available data collated for the purposes of the MSFD was obtained from a number of sources and it was observed that there was little or no overlap of data. The level of available information on each incident also varied, depending on the source of the data. In general, only basic information had been logged, such as the date or month and year, the location (although not necessarily with coordinates), the type of pollutant and the quantity spilt (if known). Therefore data gaps are mainly in relation to the lack of consistent information reported for past pollution events, as well as in relation to the impacts associated with such events. The proposed MSFD targets in relation to these pollution events are targeted to address such data gaps when reporting on future pollution events.

The available data collated for the purposes of the MSFD was obtained from a number of sources and it was observed that there was little or no overlap of data. The level of available information on each incident also varied, depending on the source of the data. In general, only basic information had been logged, such as the date or month and year, the location (although not necessarily with coordinates), the type of pollutant and the quantity spilt (if known). Therefore data gaps are mainly in relation to the lack of consistent information reported for past pollution events, as well as in relation to the impacts associated with such events. The proposed MSFD targets in relation to these pollution events are targeted to address such data gaps when reporting on future pollution events.

The available data collated for the purposes of the MSFD was obtained from a number of sources and it was observed that there was little or no overlap of data. The level of available information on each incident also varied, depending on the source of the data. In general, only basic information had been logged, such as the date or month and year, the location (although not necessarily with coordinates), the type of pollutant and the quantity spilt (if known). Therefore data gaps are mainly in relation to the lack of consistent information reported for past pollution events, as well as in relation to the impacts associated with such events. The proposed MSFD targets in relation to these pollution events are targeted to address such data gaps when reporting on future pollution events.

The available data collated for the purposes of the MSFD was obtained from a number of sources and it was observed that there was little or no overlap of data. The level of available information on each incident also varied, depending on the source of the data. In general, only basic information had been logged, such as the date or month and year, the location (although not necessarily with coordinates), the type of pollutant and the quantity spilt (if known). Therefore data gaps are mainly in relation to the lack of consistent information reported for past pollution events, as well as in relation to the impacts associated with such events. The proposed MSFD targets in relation to these pollution events are targeted to address such data gaps when reporting on future pollution events.