Hydro- and Lithodynamic Processes in the Area near the Kerch Strait (the Black Sea) During the Oil Spill Following the Tanker Accident (December 2024)

V. V. Fomin, L. V. Kharitonova*, D. V. Alekseev, D. I. Lazorenko, A. Yu. Belokon, M. V. Shokurov, V. S. Barabanov, K. I. Gurov, E. V. Ivancha, A. A. Polozok

Marine Hydrophysical Institute of RAS, Sevastopol, Russia

* e-mail: kharitonova.dntmm@gmail.com

Abstract

The expansion of maritime energy transport in the Kerch Strait may lead to accidental oil spills, with mazut posing a particularly severe ecological threat. The study aims to develop a methodological framework for investigating the dynamics of mazut-polluted bottom sediments under various wind-wave conditions, using the area near the Kerch Strait (the Black Sea) as a case study. We applied numerical modeling of hydro- and lithodynamic processes for 13–27 December 2024 to conduct an integrated analysis of wave fields, currents, bottom sediment transport, and mobility ratio for sand and oil agglomerates (ranging in size from 0.03 to 10 cm) formed by sunken mazut. Atmospheric circulation, wave fields and currents were calculated using the WRF and ADCIRC+SWAN models. We analysed the spatial variability of the agglomerate mobility ratio, defined as the ratio of the shear stress induced by waves and currents to its critical value for a given agglomerate size class. To calculate the bottom sediment transport, we used a modified Soulsby method considering the size of sand and oil agglomerates and the density of the sand-mazut mixture. The results indicate that on the first days following the spill, most of petroleum products were transported towards the Anapa Bay-Bar and into the Kerch Strait. After a shift in wind direction, mazut entered the coastal zone of Southeastern Crimea. The key areas of the possible agglomerate transport and deposition included the coastal zone from Cape Chauda to Cape Takil, the waters of the Kerch Strait and areas along the Anapa Bay-Bar. The study established that agglomerates up to 1 cm could be transported in the coastal zone at depths of up to 10 meters, while larger agglomerates (5 cm and above) remained immobile. Zones of sediment transport convergence were identified near Cape Zhelezny Rog and the southern part of the Anapa Bay-Bar, where the accumulation of sand and oil agglomerates is likely to occur. The developed methodological framework enables the reconstruction and forecasting of the transport and accumulation of contaminated sediments. This is crucial for planning effective oil spill response measures and for providing recommendations in case of emergency situations.

Keywords

Black Sea, petroleum products spill, mazut spill, sediments, waves, currents, lithodynamics, numerical modelling, ADCIRC+SWAN, mobility ratio

Acknowledgments

The work was performed under state assignment no. FNNN-2025-0002 of MHI RAS.

For citation

Fomin, V.V., Kharitonova, L.V., Alekseev, D.V., Lazorenko, D.I., Belokon, A.Yu., Shokurov, M.V., Barabanov, V.S., Gurov, K.I., Ivancha, E.V. and Polozok, A.A., 2025. Hydro- and Lithodynamic Processes in the Area near the Kerch Strait (Black Sea) During the Oil Spill Following the Tanker Accident (December 2024). Ecological Safety of Coastal and Shelf Zones of Sea, (4), pp. 33–52.

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