Impact

Over the past 30 years KIMO has called for local, national and international action to protect and preserve our marine environment.

Here are some examples of the impact of our activities. You can also learn more about our work by exploring our action areas in the menu above. Scroll to the bottom of this page to download our most recent annual reports.

Plastic Pollution

KIMO was one of the first organisations to document the devastating effects of plastic pollution in our seas. We were also an early voice in the calling for international action on microplastics.

We have worked continually at national, EU and international level to:

• Raise awareness of the problems caused by marine litter.
• Campaign for improvements in legislation to address these.
• Find sustainable solutions to mitigate these problems through practical projects, education and outreach and supporting scientific research.

For example, our 2010 study of the economic impacts of marine litter was one of the first to draw attention to the huge cost of this kind of pollution on local municipalities. It showed that UK and Dutch local authorities spent €28 million (2010 prices) each year removing beach litter.

Fishing for Litter

First launched by KIMO in 2004, Fishing for Litter schemes have removed thousands of tonnes of marine litter from our seas. Learn more about Fishing for Litter.

Weighing of Shipping Containers

In 2010 KIMO started to lobby for changes in the law to ensure shipping containers are properly weighed and stacked when loaded on board a ship. After raising the importance of this issue with MEPs, new legislation finally came into force in July 2016. As a result, correct weights should now be recorded on ship manifests.

The global shipping industry continues to grow, with larger ships operating under pressure to meet tight deadlines. As a result, shipping lanes along European coastlines have become busier, which increases the risk of accidents occuring.

While the recent change in legislation will help to protect lives at sea, the loss of containers from the MSC Zoe in 2019 shows more still needs to be done.

Emergency Tow Vessel (ETV) Provision

KIMO has lobbied the UK and Scottish governments and the European Parliament over several years regarding ETV provision in Scottish waters. The recent decision to continue the provision of an ETV in Orkney was due in no small way to KIMO’s intervention.

KIMO has been calling for improved provision of ETVs for many years. Therefore, in 2011, KIMO members adopted a resolution calling for a requirement for EU member states to provide sufficient tugs. These should be equipped for saving life, counter pollution and fire fighting activities.

In the event of an accident at sea, the availability and proximity of an Emergency Towing Vessel (ETV) could be crucial in avoiding the loss of life or damage to the environment and property.

ETV provision is also a matter of concern on the Faroe Islands. In the event of an accident, a vessel may need to come from Norway or Scotland.

Annual Reports