Process for removing hydrocarbons from a body of water wherein the hydrocarbons are separated from the aqueous phase by selective permeation through a sintered porous filter surface-treated with at least one hydrophobic product, so as to collect the hydrocarbons and remove them from the water without using additional chemical products or products capable of absorbing the hydrocarbons. This allows the body of water to be remediated and at the same time recover the hydrocarbons spilled in a clean and substantially continuous manner. The filter preferably consists of a sintered inorganic material, such as for example a metallic material, a vitreous material, a ceramic material.