ABSTRACT
The Baltic Sea is the world’s largest brackish body of water. It is designated as a PSSA (Particularly Sensitive Sea Area). More than 2000 large ships including large oil tankers are at any given time in the Baltic Sea (HELCOM 2005, Rytkönen et al. 2002). Maritime transport adversely affects different risk receptors in various forms and degrees of extents. Increasingly large amounts of different types of dangerous goods, including oil and oil products, gases and a wide range of chemicals, transported and handled in the BSR (Baltic Sea Region) (estimated between 300-1000 million tons per year) and accidents involving these goods are concerning issues for the countries in the region (TSE 2006). The most recent major oil spills that have occurred in the region are the cases of the m/v “Fu Shan Hai” (2003) (1200 tons of oil spilt) and the m/v “Baltic Carrier” (2001) (2700 tons of oil spilt). The costs of oil spills reported yearly and the worst-case scenarios in Öresund are respectively estimated $223,500 and between $150-300 million (Mullai & Paulsson 2002).
