| ITOPF has published (March 2011) its Oil Tanker Spill Statistics for 2010. This shows a steady low level of recorded spills, following-on from more recent years.
For 2010, four large spills were recorded. Although an increase on the figures for 2008 and 2009, this represents a minor deviation from the average of 3.3 spills per year in the previous decade (2000-2009) as a whole. Four medium spills were also recorded in 2010, representing the lowest annual figure recorded for this category. The total of all spills over 7 tonnes for 2010 shows no change against 2009 and is a significant reduction compared to the average for the previous decade.
Go to the Statistics for the numbers and quantities and download the ITOPF Statistics Package.
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Over 800 seafarers are being held hostage by armed gangs of Somali pirates, in appalling conditions, subject to physical and psychological abuse, for up to 8 months. Their ships have been hijacked at sea and they are being held for ransoms of millions of dollars. The human cost to seafarers and their families is enormous. 