In our country, a traditionally maritime country, the protection of marine sea environment is provided for the constitution and supervised by the State. The Ministry of Mercantile Marine is the competent authority for marine pollution prevention and control pollution incidents, that may threaten the inhabitants' or the community's interests, as well as deteriorate the marine environment.

In order to face this problem, porticules which has been worrying all of humanity over the last years, and ensure that the necessary measures are taken, the Marine Environment Protection Division was established by the Ministry, in 1972, which is responsible for the following subjects:

Taking the proper legal measures and keeping up with the activities of the International Organisations responsible for similar matters.

• Monitoring Hellenic seas and coasts
• Enforcing legislation related to the prevention of pollution
• Requesting assistance from foreign authorities, in case of serious incidents, or offering support to other countries which have requested such help.
• Imposing sanctions/penalties to punishment on offenders.
• International experience and practice has proved that whatever precautions might be taken, incidents of marine pollution cannot be totally eliminated, as it is impossible to foresee the time, the place and the certain conditions, under which such incidents might occur.