The European and International legal framework on monitoring and response to oil pollution from ships.

Oil spills cause damage to the marine environment. Such oil spills originate from land-based or sea-based sources. Sea-based sources are discharges coming from ships or offshore platforms.

On the SAR derived alert in the detection of oil spills according to the analysis of the EGEMP.

Satellite services that deliver information about possible oil spills at sea currently use different labels of "confidence" to describe the detections based on radar image processing. A common approach is to use a classification differentiating between low, medium and high levels of confidence. There is an ongoing discussion on the suitability of the existing classification systems of possible oil spills detected by radar satellite images with regard to the relevant significance and correspondence to user requirements.

Towards an operational use of space imagery for oil pollution monitoring in the Mediterranean basin: a demonstration in the Adriatic Sea.

Studies of operational pollution carried out by European commission - Joint Research Centre in the Mediterranean Sea for the years 1999-2004 are briefly introduced. The specific analysis of the Adriatic Sea for the same period demonstrates that this area has been characterized by a relevant number of illegal discharges from ships. After setting the historical background of the project AESOP (aerial and satellite surveillance of operational pollution in the Adriatic Sea), the content, partners and aim of the project are presented.