Two Tankers With Oil & Toxic Waste Stuck In Red Sea Amid Conflict between Houthis & Western Naval Forces

Two tankers that are loaded with oil and toxic wastes are currently stuck in the waters of the Red Sea in the firing line between the Western naval forces as well as Yemeni Houthi militants despite ongoing and repeated efforts by the UN to empty and move the vessels to avoid spillage.

The vessels, one of which has reportedly been stranded for years, are based close to the port of Ras Issa, the place from where the Houthis launch missiles on the vessels that sail via the Red Sea and where the US missiles land as they target the Houthis.

Last year, the UN spearheaded efforts to transfer one million barrels of oil from the ageing tanker FSO Safer to a new tanker dubbed MT Yemen, an operation that cost almost $121 million.

The UN was also strongly hoping to shift the FSO Safer, which contains toxic wastewater and oily residues, for disposal elsewhere and sell the oil on MT Yemen.

Neither of these vessels has shifted since August as the Houthis and the foes in the Yemeni internationally-headed government could not agree on who should get the money for the oil, a Houthi source informed Reuters.

The source further mentioned no agreement regarding the vessel’s towing. The UN Development Programme has mentioned that it had been engaged in discussions with the relevant bodies in Yemen about the vessel handover.

The (UNDP) has not had indications from the de facto authorities based in Yemen of the threats to impair the vessel deliberately, mentioned a UNDP spokesperson, referring to the Houthis.

A source associated with the internationally recognized Yemeni government, also talking on the condition of anonymity, mentioned that he firmly believed that the Houthis refused to release either of the vessels and had been using them to bolster the bargaining power.
TOXIC SLUDGE

One supertanker constructed in the 1970s, the FSO Safer, was converted into a floating storage and oil offloading facility before the civil war onset in Yemen in 2014. It is so decayed that its rotting hull threatened to spill the cargo into the Red Sea.

Last year, the UN contracted the Dutch-based SMIT Salvage to get rid of the oil. Belgium’s Euronav offered the MT Yemen. The toxic sludge and wash water Belgium has been used to scrub the oil out of the tanker but has not yet been removed, per a shipping source.

Euronav mentioned that it continued assisting the UNDP in handing over MT Yemen. It didn’t specify who may ultimately receive the vessel. He asked not to be named and didn’t mention that almost 70,000 metric tons of residue was on the FSO Safer.

A spokesperson associated with Boskalis, the parent firm of SMIT salvage, mentioned that it was contracted to remove the oil but not the Safer vessel. Belgium’s Euronav has maintained a crew on MT Yemen from August onward under the contBelgium’s the UN. As the handover procedure is complete, the crew members will leave, the UNDP spokesperson stated.

Reference: Reuters

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