site.btaOver 170 Oil Slicks Detected in Bulgarian Black Sea Waters over Past Year - Greenpeace Bulgaria

Over 170 oil and fuel slicks have been detected in Bulgarian waters in the Black Sea over the past year, according to data published on Tuesday by the non-governmental organizations Greenpeace Bulgaria and SkyTruth. The total area of the detected slicks is 819 square kilometers.

The oil slicks were detected using a system that utilizes satellite data from the European Space Agency's Sentinel-1. The map shows oil slicks between July 6, 2024, and June 26, 2025. It shows only slicks that have been double-checked by Greenpeace and SkyTruth experts after verification with software, Greenpeace Bulgaria explained.

Most often, the stains are caused by discharged bilge water contaminated with oil, ship fuel, chemicals, and heavy metals, experts said. This is the water that collects at the bottom of ships, where the engine room is located, they explained.

Oil stains are often underestimated and do not receive as much attention as large oil slicks, commented Martin Tomov, coordinator of the Living Black Sea campaign at Greenpeace Bulgaria. According to him, this pollution is rarely reported in official statistics.

In early December last year, Greenpeace Bulgaria presented the documentary film Me, the Sea – Life in Silence, which aims to show that the Black Sea is special, with unique species and habitats.