(MENAFN) The United Nations (UN) has sent a supertanker, the Nautica, on a mission to collect over a million barrels of crude oil stored on a decaying vessel off the coast of Yemen to prevent a potential oil spill in the Red Sea. The UN Development Programme had purchased the Nautica in March, and it has now departed China for Yemen, where it will collect the oil stored aboard the FSO Safer. The Nautica's departure marks a significant next step in the complex operation to remove the oil from the Safer.
The FSO Safer is a tanker that has been anchored off the coast of Yemen since 1988, and it has been left to decay since 2015 when the civil war broke out in Yemen. The tanker's engines have not been working, and it has been abandoned by its crew, leaving it at risk of sinking and causing an environmental and humanitarian disaster in the Red Sea. The tanker has been described as a "floating bomb," as it contains over 1.1 million barrels of oil, which could spill into the Red Sea and cause a catastrophic environmental disaster.
The UN has been working with Yemen's Houthi rebels, who control much of the western coastline, to remove the stored oil aboard the FSO Safer. The Houthis agreed to a plan last year, which allowed the UN to purchase the Nautica and start the operation to remove the oil.
However, the operation is still $34 million short of its $129 million budget as of April 4, and the UN has launched a crowdfunding page to raise funds. Urgent contributions are needed to keep the operation on track and prevent a potential catastrophe. The UNDP chief, Achim Steiner, has called for leaders in government, CEOs of corporations, and individuals to contribute to the operation.
The Nautica is expected to reach the FSO Safer within the next few weeks, and the crude oil will be transferred to the supertanker for safe transportation. The operation is complex and risky, as the tanker has been left to decay for years and is at risk of sinking. The Nautica is a very large crude carrier (VLCC), and the operation's spiraling costs have been affected by the war in Ukraine.
David Gressly, the UN resident and humanitarian co-ordinator for Yemen, has been a key figure in the talks on the operation. He has stated that they have the best available technical expertise and political support from all sides, and they just need the final piece of funding this month to ensure success and prevent a catastrophe.
In conclusion, the UN has sent the Nautica on a mission to prevent a potential environmental and humanitarian disaster in the Red Sea by removing over a million barrels of crude oil from the decaying FSO Safer. The operation is complex and risky, and urgent contributions are needed to keep it on track. The Nautica is expected to reach the FSO Safer within the next few weeks, and the crude oil will be transferred to the supertanker for safe transportation. The operation's success is crucial to prevent a potential catastrophe and protect the environment and lives in the Red Sea.
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