Introduction to Part I: The International Context.- History, Sources and Volumes of Oil Pollution in the Mediterranean Sea.- Shipping and Oil Transportation in the Mediterranean Sea.- Oil and Gas Exploration and Production in the Mediterranean Sea.- Oil Spill Intervention in the Mediterranean Sea.- The International Maritime Organization and Oil Pollution in the Mediterranean Sea.- The Barcelona Convention and its Role in Oil Pollution Prevention in the Mediterranean Sea.- The Role of REMPEC in the Prevention of and Response to Pollution from Ships in the Mediterranean Sea.- European Maritime Safety Agency Activities in the Mediterranean Sea.- Numerical Modeling of Oil Pollution in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea.- Numerical Modeling of Oil Pollution in the Western Mediterranean Sea.- Projects on Oil Spill Response in the Mediterranean Sea.- Oil Spill Beaching Probability for the Mediterranean Sea.- Conclusions for Part I: The International Context.