An oil spill off the coast of Oman has now covered an area of about 390 sq km, the country's authorities said, quoted by “Reuters“. The incident is related to the sanctioned tanker “Caroline Bezengi“, which was carrying Russian crude oil and suffered serious damage while sailing off the coast of Yemen, BTA reports.
Omani authorities have publicly revealed the scale of the pollution for the first time and announced that they are taking action to limit the spread of the oil slick. It is located in the waters off the Halaniyat Islands, located off the eastern Dhofar Governorate.
According to the Omani Environment Agency, the area of the spill was determined through analysis of satellite imagery. The data shows that the oil slick extends northwest from the islands towards the Omani mainland, with its closest point being approximately seven kilometers from the coast.
The scale of the spill raises serious concerns for the marine ecosystem in the area. The Halaniyat Islands are part of an area with rich marine biodiversity, and the spread of crude oil in the water could affect marine organisms, birds, fish resources and coastal habitats. Whether the oil reaches shallow coastal areas and the coastline will be particularly important in assessing the damage.
The problems with the tanker “Caroline Bezengi“ were first reported on June 8 off the southern Yemeni port of Mukalla. Two maritime security sources said the crew reported problems, with initial assessments suggesting an explosion on board.
The cause of the damage remains unknown. Omani authorities have not publicly stated what caused the incident, and the lack of a definitive explanation further complicates the assessment of risk and liability for the spill.
The Caroline Bezengi is a 274-meter tanker that was loaded with Russian crude oil before the incident. The vessel last transmitted a signal via its public automatic identification system on June 11 off the coast of Yemen. Its movements have since been lost to public tracking systems.
A satellite image analysis by “Reuters“ in collaboration with shipping experts, shows that the oil spill was still spreading late last month. This means that the pollution was not confined to the initial area and there is a risk that its extent could continue to change depending on currents, winds and weather conditions.
The incident has drawn additional attention because of the tanker's status. The “Caroline Bezengi“ is among the vessels sanctioned by the European Union and the UK for their involvement in transporting Russian oil products. The case has once again drawn attention to the so-called “shadow fleet“ — a network of tankers used by Russia to transport oil and circumvent restrictions imposed by Western countries since the war in Ukraine began.
This fleet usually includes older vessels, often owned by opaque companies and operating on complex routes. Their use allows Moscow to continue to sell significant amounts of oil on international markets despite sanctions restrictions.
The age and technical condition of some of these tankers are among the main concerns of maritime and environmental experts. Older ships may require more serious maintenance, and in the event of an accident, the consequences could be particularly severe if the cargo they are transporting ends up in the marine environment.
The oil spill off Oman also highlights another problem associated with sanctions policy - limiting access to certain markets and services can lead to changes in the routes and ships used to transport crude oil. This increases the role of vessels that operate outside the traditional system of international maritime transport and insurance.
The area off Yemen and Oman is further complicated by ongoing tensions in the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea. Military and political instability in the region increases the risks to shipping and makes it difficult to quickly determine the causes of such incidents.
For Oman, the main issue at the moment is to contain the spill and prevent it from reaching the coastline. If the oil reaches sensitive coastal ecosystems, the cleanup could be significantly more difficult and the restoration of affected habitats could take years.
The case also shows how far-reaching the consequences of war and sanctions against Russia can be. Oil produced in Russia can be transported through many countries and sea routes, and problems with a ship carrying this cargo can become an environmental problem for a country that is not directly involved in the conflict itself.
In the coming days, new satellite observations and the actions of the Omani authorities will be of key importance. They will show whether the spill stabilizes or continues to spread towards the coast and what the real scale of the environmental damage is.