- The Safer has been abandoned just off Yemen’s Ras Isa peninsula since 2015, as a result of the civil war that has wracked the country.
- In an effort to avert an environmental and humanitarean disaster, on May 30 the salvage vessel Ndeavor arrived on the scene.
- The UN has warned that if the cargo were to spill into the Red Sea it could instantly wipe out the livelihoods of 200,000 people and millions more would be at risk.
Efforts to prevent a potentially catastrophic oil spill in the Red Sea finally got under way on May 30, when a United Nations-led operation began work on removing more than 1 million barrels of oil from a decaying tanker, the FSO Safer.
Salvaging decaying red sea tanker
The Safer has been abandoned just off Yemen’s Ras Isa peninsula since 2015, as a result of the civil war that has wracked the country.
More than 300,000 have died in the conflict and 17 million have been left in need of food assistance. But the situation could get even worse if the tanker sank or its cargo exploded.
The UN has warned that if the cargo were to spill into the Red Sea it could instantly wipe out the livelihoods of 200,000 people and millions more would be at risk from the highly polluted air from any explosion.
In addition, the nearby port of Hodeidah could be closed – cutting off a vital supply route for food, fuel and other goods into Yemen.
Clean-up operation
The cost of a clean-up operation has been estimated at $20 billion, but billions more dollars could be racked up in the event of significant disruptions to shipping on the route to and from the Suez Canal.
In an effort to avert an environmental and humanitarean disaster, on May 30 the salvage vessel Ndeavor arrived on the scene.
Its crew will inspect the Safer and carry out any work that needs to be done to secure the tanker and its cargo before the oil can be transferred to the Nautica, a replacement tanker which is currently waiting in nearby Djibouti and which is due to travel to the site in June.
The Ndeavor is operated by marine salvage company SMIT, a subsidiary of Dutch company Boskalis.
Funding gap
The latest developments follow years of painstaking diplomatic efforts to ensure access to the vessel, as well as a long process of fundraising to raise the millions of dollars needed to carry out the operation.
However, more funds are still needed if the operation is to be completed. In March, the UN said there was a $34 million funding gap that needed to be closed. An official said today that at least $29 million of that gap remains.
“Today marks a critical step in the operation to remove the threat posed by the FSO Safer,” said UN Development Programme administrator Achim Steiner.
“Funds spent now will prevent a disaster that could cost billions in the future. With this in mind, we call again upon the international community and private sector to step up and support us to close the funding gap on the project so that we can finish what we have started.”
Funding raised by UN members
To date some $114 million has been raised from UN member states, private companies and a public crowdfunding campaign.
However, the additional funds are needed to ensure the replacement vessel can be securely moored and for the Safer to be towed to a ‘green’ recycling yard.
“We are counting on generous donors to close the remaining $29 million budget gap,” said David Gressly, the UN resident and humanitarian coordinator for Yemen.
Did you subscribe to our Newsletter?
It’s Free! Click here to Subscribe.
Source: Forbes
