yesterday I read in the newspaper
der tagesspiegel following article:

WWF: ANNUALLY 100 MILLION FLUSHES OF SHIPS END UP IN THE OSTSEE

according to surveys of the environment-foundation WWF (world wide fund for nature), every year about 100 million flushes of ships end up in the „Ostsee“. in addition - according to surveys at shipping companies of „Ostsee“-cruisers and ferries - about 1,6 billions liter of wastewater from showers and cleaning buckets.

not even a quarter of those ships disposes its wastewater to land, so annually about 450 tons nitrate and 150 tons phosphats run into the „Ostsee“.

„the broth works like dung. the plants grow intensified and deprive the water the oxygen“, said the leader of WWF-„Ostsee“, jochen lamp. those nutrients contributes that this inland lake again and again is obsessed by the algae pest. because of 60.000 ship-passages and 90 millions passengers the "ostsee" is one of the most cruised seas in the world.


harbours have to raise up their disposal-capacities


according to the WWF, just nine shipping companies agree for a voluntary self-commitment to stop 2007 the discharge of their excrements – also „Hurtigruten“ and „Peter Deilmann“, two providers from germany.

up to now there is no explicit disposal-prohibition of excrements outside the twelve-seamile-zone in the „Ostsee“ - but „such a obligatory regulation should be desirable!“, says jochen lamp. the shipping company -aida cruises- reportedly notifies to assent to a self-commitment next year.

beside shipping companies, according to jochen lamp, in future also the harbours should have the necessary capacities, to make it possible for ferries to dispose their wastewater environment-friendly.

„no passenger is interested to shovel on a cloaca“, said jochen lamp





translated from german into english:angi.