Marine life

A new hub for illicit ship-to-ship transfers between Lesvos and Chios

Cargo ships, tankers etc are usually loaded at land-based terminals but sometimes it is necessary for various reasons for cargo to be transferred from one ship to another while at sea. Many of these ship-to-ship transfer (STS) operations involve the transfer of liquid fuels. This can be a risky business with a danger of spillage…

An “invasive” marine organism has become an economic resource in the eastern Mediterranean

An “invasive” marine organism has become an economic resource in the eastern Mediterranean

Pamela Hallock, a biogeological oceanographer and Distinguished University Professor at the USF College of Marine Science (CMS), has spent her career studying the ocean. She leads the Reef Indicators Lab at CMS and is no stranger to the impacts of human activities on marine environments.  Still, she couldn’t help but notice a bright spot in…

Floating offshore wind farms in Mediterranean marine protected areas: a cautionary tale

As offshore wind energy expands in Europe, maritime planners increasingly need to consider the potential effects of these activities on the different types of marine protected areas (MPAs), including Natura 2000 sites. The aim of this article is to critically review the initial development of offshore wind energy inside and/or in the vicinity of Mediterranean…