Extensive pollution in the Black Sea: 226 spots and protected areas affected, shows Greenpeace data

Between April 29, 2022, and September 11, 2025, Greenpeace Romania identified 226 pollution spots over an area of 1,308 km² in the Black Sea, equivalent to almost 5.5 times the area of the municipality of Bucharest. Of these, 55 spots appeared in protected areas, and 11 spots are associated with offshore oil and gas infrastructure. The interactive map, launched on International Black Sea Day, uses satellite images to highlight oil and fuel spills.

Activist Alin Tănase from Greenpeace emphasizes that spills are frequent and affect water quality and marine life. The map will help draw the authorities' attention to the pollution issue and will call for solutions to protect the marine environment. The analysis was conducted with the help of the Cerulean platform, which uses artificial intelligence to detect oil spots. Greenpeace and SkyTruth are calling for investigations and technical audits to address the pollution issue effectively.