As of today, there exists no cartography or quantization of volumes of liquid waste generated by ships at global level.

The absence of precise numbers makes it difficult to scientifically analyze the potential incidence of these slops or sludges on the ecosystem of a port, of a region, of a country or of an ocean.

Volumes generated, percentage unloaded, cross-border migration, specifications of  effluents by the type of combustible or cargo, …. a lot of questions without answers .

The integration of all hydrocarbon unloadings at global level into the same information system will permit the realization of reliable and precise statistics.
This data, by extrapolation, will allow institutions, research centers, and other governmental organizations the establishment of new tools of evaluation, simulations and modelling in the matter of management of hydrocarbon residues.

It is from this type of analysis that the maritime industry can develop new technical responses aiming to diminish the emission of these residues.