Ships can be compared to floating industries giving rise to a range of pressures - chemical, biological, physical and energy pollution - on the marine environment. Every year, chemical tankers transport millions of tonnes of liquid chemicals and products in bulk and although it is well known that chemical tankers clean their tanks and discharge the wash water at sea, more specific knowledge of what, when and where is still missing.

There is consensus within HELCOM that the pressure on the marine environment from hazardous substances in the Baltic Sea must be reduced. At the same time, the legal framework of MARPOL Annex II allows for discharges of wash water and chemicals from operational tank cleaning. 

In order to reduce the impact on the marine environment from tank cleaning, as well as the environmental impact of shipping in general, increased collaboration between the relevant transport and environmental management authorities and other actors such as ports, ship operators and industries is required. Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology, together with the Swedish Institute for the Marine Environment (Havsmiljöinstitutet) have initiated this work and now recommend a number of actions that should be taken to reduce the problem, both in Swedish and international waters.

Läs Havsmiljöinstitutets policy brief "Minska kemikalieutsläpp till havs från tankrengöring" (på svenska)

Read the report "Tank cleaning and its impact on the marine environment" (in English)

Welcome to a Baltic Breakfast in collaboration with the Swedish Institute for the Marine Environment with focus on actions needed to reduce environmental impact from shipping in general, and especially from tank cleaning!

Speakers

Anna Lunde Hermansson, Doctoral Student in Maritime Environmental Science, Chalmers University of Technology

Ida-Maja Hassellöv, Professor in Maritime Environmental Science, Chalmers University of Technology

Moderator: Ellen Bruno, policy analyst at Stockholm University Baltic Sea Centre

Practical information

The seminar will be held on Wednesday 19 April 2023, 8.30 – 9.15 am, at Scandic Klara, Slöjdgatan 7 in Stockholm. Breakfast will be served from 8.00 am.

Physical participation requires registration here before 17 April.

The seminar will also be livestreamed at this webpage. Please do not register if you intend to follow the seminar digitally. The seminar will be recorded and can be watched afterwards at this same webpage.

Questions and discussion

We highly welcome the audience to ask questions, in advance or during the webinar. E-mail your question to ostersjocentrum@su.se or use sli.do (code 22102).

Discuss the topic on Twitter, using the hashtag #balticbreakfast

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About Baltic Breakfast

Baltic Breakfast is a series of short breakfast seminars/webinars organised by Stockholm University Baltic Sea Centre. Their aim is to present the latest knowledge about issues of central importance to the Baltic Sea environment. The webinars are addressed to people in different sectors working for a sustainable development in the Baltic Sea region and everyone interested in environmental issues of the Baltic Sea.

Most Baltic Breakfasts are held in Swedish, but sometimes they are targeted at an international audience and held in English. If you want to get invitations to the upcoming webinars or subscribe to our monthly newsletters, click here.