ITOPF publishes 2025 Oil tanker spill statistics

Three large spills of more than 700 tonnes and three medium spills, between 7-700 tonnes, were recorded from tanker incidents in the year 2025.

This brings the current decade average to seven tanker spills per year, a dramatic reduction from the numbers reported from earlier decades but currently slightly higher than the average for the 2010s with 6.3 spills per year.

All six spills recorded in 2025 involved crude oil or fuel oil and occurred in Asia and Europe. The total volume of oil lost to the environment is approximately 4,000 tonnes, a reduction from 2024 with approximately 10,000 tonnes.

ITOPF statistics show the number and volume of oil spills from tankers have largely stabilised at a low level, while remaining a fraction of the total amount of oil transported by sea each year.

This reflects the positive changes driven by the shipping industry and governments to improve tanker safety and standards of operations. Accidents are still a possibility, however, and maintaining this commitment is crucial for the continued protection of the marine environment.

Aside from oil spills deriving from tankers, ITOPF remained active in promoting effective spill response and responding to spills other than oil throughout 2025, with attendance on site to eight new non-tanker incidents. In 2025, ITOPF attended spills of varying substances, assisting on-site to support more than just its members and associates, providing relevant information to various stakeholders such as those leading the response, governmental authorities, affected populations and insurers seeking objective technical expertise.

With the continuing adoption of alternative fuels within the global fleet, ITOPF is well-placed to support its stakeholders, ensuring it is ready to provide timely and accurate advice. ITOPF has dedicated extensive resources to the development of HNS training and preparedness exercises and supports its stakeholders in their contingency planning journey. Much of these materials are publicly accessible on ITOPF’s website.

More details on oil tanker spill statistics can be found on ITOPF’s Statistics web page here: https://www.itopf.org/knowledge-resources/data-statistics/oil-tanker-spill-statistics-2025/

Category: Information Services