Salvage Crews Rush to Contain Oil Spill From Stricken Tanker Off Oman
Salvors are heading to waters off Oman to contain a crude oil spill from the Caroline Bezengi tanker, which has hit the coastline and threatens a marine reserve.
Salvage teams are racing to contain an oil spill from a stricken tanker off the coast of Oman, as the slick has begun to reach the country's shoreline. The operation, coordinated by risk management firm Ambrey, involves deploying specialist vessels, aircraft, and around 100 metric tons of equipment to the affected area.
The spill originates from the Caroline Bezengi, a tanker carrying an estimated 800,000 barrels of Russian crude oil. The vessel ran aground on June 30 near an Omani marine nature reserve that is home to humpback whales and Socotra cormorants. The tanker first reported difficulties off Yemen on June 8, following what maritime sources described as an apparent blast. Imagery released by Ambrey shows burn marks on the vessel, suggesting a fire or explosion, though the cause remains undetermined.
The salvage effort is being complicated by the region's annual monsoon season. Ambrey has contracted a leading international oil spill response company to assist, though the firm has not been named.
Oman's agriculture, fisheries, and water resources ministry is monitoring the impact on marine life and local fish products to ensure they remain safe for market. Fishermen have been advised to avoid the spill area and report any unusual smells or changes in the water.
The Caroline Bezengi, part of the so-called shadow fleet of aging vessels used to transport Russian oil, sailed from the Black Sea port of Novorossiysk in April. It passed through the Suez Canal in late May and then traveled past Yemen, where Houthi militants have been active in the broader regional conflict. No party has claimed responsibility for the apparent attack on the vessel.