Over 170 spills of oil and marine fuel have been detected in the Bulgarian Black Sea waters over the past year, according to data from the non-governmental organizations Greenpeace – Bulgaria and SkyTruth. The total area of the detected spills is 819 sq. km, BTA reports.

The study was conducted from July 6, 2024 to June 26, 2025 using satellite data from the European Space Agency’s Sentinel-1. Most often, the spills are due to discharged water contaminated with oil, marine fuel, chemicals and heavy metals, experts say. According to them, these are the waters that collect in the lowest part of the ships, where the engine room is located.

Greenpeace – Bulgaria draws attention to the fact that the spills reduce water quality, disrupt the food chain in the sea and pose a risk to animals. After the discoveries, the organization said that this country should abandon plans for gas and oil extraction in the Black Sea.

Editor: Diana Tsankova

Publication in English: Alexander Markov

Photo: BTA