Updated 9am

The Mediterranean Sea is among the most polluted areas of water in the EU, with emissions of various pollutants the highest across the region, a recent report shows.

Mediterranean waters registered the highest emissions of sulphur and nitrogen oxides, particulate matter and black carbon, according to the European Maritime Transport Environmental Report 2025.

Meanwhile, the Mediterranean’s heavy maritime traffic and supporting ports and refineries puts the area at higher risk for oil spills.

And while there are hopes the situation could improve, with the area becoming an EU emissions control zone later this year, the report paints a bleak picture overall.

From 2015 to 2023, the Mediterranean reported the highest average yearly carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions, with 64 million tonnes pumped regularly into the region and emissions increasing by 15%.

A greenhouse gas, CO₂ is a major contributor to climate change and global warming and in the maritime sector mainly comes from use of ships’ engines. Nearly 13,000 ships above 5,000 gross tonnes emitted more than 137 million tonnes of CO₂ in 2022.

Although changes to cargo ships and tankers saw some improvements in CO₂ emissions, most types of ships saw their emissions increase, the report from the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) said.

The Mediterranean saw the highest yearly emissions of nitrogen oxides, doubling the levels seen in the Atlantic and almost tripling the emissions seen in the North Sea, while levels of methane more than tripled. Black carbon emissions were also highest despite reducing overall by 5%.

Nearly 13,000 ships above 5,000 gross tonnes emitted more than 137 million tonnes of CO₂ in 2022, the report said. Photo: Shutterstock.com.. Photo: Shutterstock.com

Meanwhile, emissions of particulate matter – microscopic particles and toxic liquid droplets that Times of Malta reported in 2018 were estimated to cost the country around €24 million in adverse side effects each year – were also the highest across EU waters.

Despite a large drop in sulphur dioxide emissions across the EU – which saw levels decrease by around 70% since 2014 – the Mediterranean saw a significantly smaller drop of 11% while registering the highest yearly average mainly attributed to the region’s high volume of maritime traffic.

However, the report noted that with the Mediterranean set to become a Sulphur Emission Control Zone (SECA) from May, estimated to eventually lead to an 80% reduction in emissions and save 1,000 lives each year, the situation is likely to change.

Crucial for the shipping sector to switch to renewable fuel

“The implementation of the Mediterranean SECA aims to reduce the impacts of these busy high traffic density routes and mitigate the health and environmental issues related to air pollution,” the report said.

Shipping pollution has long been a concern in Malta, with one Maltese scientist warning in 2018 that the emissions from ships sailing close to the country or bunkering were more toxic than the equivalent of 30 Marsa power stations.

And, in 2021, a Danish scientist described pollution around the Grand Harbour as “shocking” after detecting levels 100-200 times higher than in areas not exposed to any pollution sources.

Oil spills

The EMSA report noted that an estimated 30,000 vessels traverse the Mediterranean each year, with around a quarter of the global shipping fleet passing through the region and the sea supporting one-fifth of seaborne trade.

And with those ships comes a greater risk of oil spills; the report noted there was a higher detection of possible oil spills in the Mediterranean compared to most other areas, with its high traffic “increasing the likelihood of illegal discharges and accidents.”

Around 35% of oil discharged into the Mediterranean came from routine shipping, while 45% came from land-based sources including port infrastructure.

The ‘highly industrialised’ Mediterranean ports contribute to oil spills, the report said. Photo: Shutterstock.com

And from 2015 to 2022, ports in the Mediterranean expanded by 12%, around 35 square kilometres, with tourism and greater demand for yachts cited as one reason for expansion generally across the EU.

Turning to marine life, the report said turtles – which have regularly featured in Maltese media around hatching season – were “more exposed” to risk in the area, with 28 Natura 2000 sites being at medium or high risk from collisions with shipping. 

Not all news was bad for the Mediterranean, however; the report noted the region registered among the lowest levels of underwater noise, which can be harmful to marine life. The underwater noise generated was “dominated by tankers”, which contributed more than the sum of the remaining ships.

What can we do?

Looking ahead, the report pointed to the EU’s extensions of its carbon tax Emissions Trading System (ETS), which came into effect at the start of last year, as a promising step in addressing emissions across the EU.

The introduction of ETS did not prove popular in Malta, however, with industry figures warning of increased import prices and politicians raising questions about the fairness of the scheme.

The report noted it was also “crucial” for the shipping sector to switch to renewable fuel sources including biofuels, electric, hydrogen and wind power, among others, and utilise routes of zero-emissions called green shipping corridors.

Other measures to help reduce pollution could include speed reductions, planning stops at ports to be more efficient and improved ship maintenance, the report said.

Malta Maritime Forum reacts

In a statement on Friday morning, the Malta Maritime Forum said calling ETS promising was "totally misleading because the EU has acted beyond its remit by introducing this regime which cannot be enforced in non-EU ports".

"Mainliners continue to traverse the Mediterranean to transport people and goods but are majorly disincentivised to call at EU ports. Business and jobs are being lost in major EU ports such as Algeciras, Barcelona and Pireus as the major shipping lines are shifting their transhipment operations from EU to non-EU hubs," the forum said.

"This huge business leakage brings no environmental benefit because the same ships are crossing the same Mediterranean Sea."