British firm begins salvage of grounded shadow fleet tanker leaking oil off Oman coast
British maritime response firm Ambrey has launched an emergency operation to contain an expanding oil spill from the grounded Russian shadow fleet tanker Caroline Bezengi off the coast of Oman, following weeks of worsening environmental damage.
Specialist crews boarded the vessel with assistance from the Royal Air Force of Oman to evaluate its structural integrity and begin stabilization procedures. The 25-year-old vessel, carrying an estimated 800,000 barrels of sanctioned Russian crude, ran aground at Qabiliyah Island on 30 June after experiencing an unexplained explosion off Yemen earlier in the month.
Severe weather conditions from the regional Khareef monsoon season have accelerated the spread of the slick, which has expanded across more than 2,000 square kilometers of sea. Oman’s Environment Authority confirmed that crude pollution has reached shoreline sediments in the Ras Madrakah area, more than 200 kilometers north of the grounding site, and warned that the slick threatens sensitive habitats including the protected Hallaniyat Archipelago reserve.
Environmental advocates and maritime experts have warned that the disaster could worsen dramatically if the increasingly submerged hull breaks open completely, potentially releasing tens of millions of gallons of crude into the Arabian Sea. Recovery efforts remain hindered by monsoon conditions and the vessel’s lack of recognized Western insurance coverage.
