BRISK risk analysis of shipping accidents in the Baltic Sea helps improving emergency capacities

Helsinki, 4 October (HELCOM Information Service) - BRISK, the international project on the sub-regional risk of spill of oil and hazardous substances in the Baltic Sea will discuss on 5-6 October the risk analysis model. The risk analysis aims to map areas with the highest risk of pollution and environmental damage caused by shipping activities.

The BRISK meeting in Aarhus, Denmark will be hosted by the Lead Partner of the Project, the Admiral Danish Fleet Headquarters.

The risk analysis is the first overall risk assessment to cover pollution caused by shipping in the waters of all Baltic Sea countries based on a common methodology. The BRISK project will build a mutual understanding of the concepts of risk and damage, which is the first step to improve the capacities of the Baltic Sea countries to tackle medium-size and large spills of oil and hazardous substances.

The risk analysis model of BRISK takes a variety of risk-reducing measures into account. Risk-reducing measures include preventive measures such as the use of pilots’ onboard ships to assist in navigating through difficult waters as well as relief measures such as the emergency response for spills. This feature provides the possibility to model the effects of different response and prevention activities. The inclusion of risk-reducing measures takes the risk analysis a decisive step forward - from simply describing the status quo into providing support to decision-makers for improving response strategies and planning investments in emergency capacities.

Possible future scenarios can be investigated and compared by varying the type, number, location and intensity of more than a dozen different risk-reducing measures. At the forthcoming meeting the project partners will discuss the possibilities and select the most relevant scenarios. These scenarios will be investigated and compared as part of the risk analysis in the coming months.

The BRISK project is co-financed by the European Union within the Baltic Sea Region Programme 2007-2013. The project’s total budget is around EUR 3.3 million, with approximately EUR 2.5 million to be allocated from the European Regional Development Fund. 

The BRISK-RU project, financed by the Nordic Council of Ministers, will carry out activities in the Russian Federation complementary to the BRISK activities. The Lead Partner of the BRISK-RU project is Central Marine Research & Design Institute Ltd. in St. Petersburg, and the coordinator is the Information Office of the Nordic Council of Ministers in Kaliningrad.

Follow-up:

The BRISK Project web site: http://www.brisk.helcom.fi/

Note to Editors:

The Helsinki Commission, or HELCOM, works to protect the marine environment of the Baltic Sea from all sources of pollution through intergovernmental co-operation between the countries bordering the sea - Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Sweden, and also the European Community. 

HELCOM is the governing body of the "Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Baltic Sea Area," more usually known as the Helsinki Convention.

For more information, please contact:

Mr. Peter Soeberg Poulsen

Admiral Danish Fleet HQ

National Operations

Maritime Environment

Tel: +45 8943 3405

Fax: +45 89433427

E-mail: pol.con.den@sok.dk

Ms. Ulla Ahonen

Project Officer

HELCOM

Tel: +358 (0)400 315 790

Fax: +358 (0)207 412 645

E-mail: ulla.ahonen@helcom.fi