A massive international salvage operation was underway on Thursday to contain the oil spill from a tanker called the Caroline Bezengi, which ran aground off the coast of Oman on June 30.
The Omani military is supporting a wide range of international experts who are attempting to stabilize the stricken vessel before its cargo contaminates a nearby nature preserve.
The Caroline Bezengi was carrying 800,000 barrels of sanctioned Russian oil to India when it ran aground under murky circumstances. The tanker is a 24-year-old vessel under sanctions from Europe, Canada, and Ukraine for transporting oil above the price caps imposed by the Group of Seven (G7) nations after Russia invaded Ukraine.
The ship reportedly suffered an explosion off the coast of Yemen on June 8, which naturally led to suspicions it was attacked by the Iran-backed Houthi terrorists who have been menacing commerce in the Red Sea, although no party has claimed responsibility for attacking the ship.
The ship’s Automatic Identification System (AIS) went dark on June 10, again for unclear reasons. The system could have been damaged, or the crew might have feared another attack. Switching off AIS and running dark is a common tactic employed by “shadow fleet” ships carrying illegal cargoes.
The Caroline Bezengi limped along for weeks until running aground on Oman’s island of al-Qibliyah. The island is part of the al-Hallaniyat Archipelago, which is a protected marine reserve that shelters rare coral, sea turtles, and migratory birds. The archipelago is also home to the Arabian Sea humpback whales, one of the world’s most endangered whale species.
According to Oman’s Environmental Authority, oil from the stricken tanker reached the mainland coast on Wednesday. Satellite images showed the oil spill has grown to over 1,200 square miles and threatens some 25 miles of coastland.
Another alarming development is that the Caroline Bezengi is sinking, increasing pressure on the hull, which means the ship could break up and dump even more oil into the sea. The crisis became a perfect storm of disaster with the addition of an actual storm: the seasonal Khareef monsoon, which brings heavy seas, high winds, rain, and fog to the region.
UK-based maritime security company Ambrey said it joined the growing international salvage operation on Thursday, sending more salvage vessels and consulting with a “leading international oil spill response company.”
“Specialist personnel have already boarded the vessel with the support of the Royal Air Force of Oman (RAFO) to assess conditions onboard and commence cargo and vessel stabilisation,” Ambrey said.
“This is an extremely challenging situation, compounded by adverse weather conditions associated with the Khareef monsoon,” Ambrey Director of Global Relations Ed Wollaston said. “However, we have deployed the leading experts in each aspect of the response and have mobilised the appropriate supporting equipment, aircraft and vessels.”
The salvage effort has been greatly complicated by the dodgy legal status of the Caroline Bezengi, and the unclear circumstances of its ground.
Reuters reported on Wednesday that the tanker is “not insured by any recognized Western insurance provider,” and international agencies like IOPC Funds that might normally assist with oil spills are reluctant to get involved because the incident may have been an “act of war.”
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