A massive oil spill threatens off the coast of Oman

Here's what it's all about

• A tanker carrying 110,000 metric tons of crude oil ran aground off the coast of Oman.
• Satellite images show large amounts of oil leaking. According to Greenpeace, the oil slick has now grown to cover an area of about 600 square kilometers.
• The "Caroline Bezengi" is considered part of Russia's so-called shadow fleet.
• The ecologically sensitive region off the coast of Oman is facing the threat of a massive environmental disaster.

Summary created with

An environmental disaster of enormous proportions is looming off the coast of Oman due to an oil tanker that has run aground. According to satellite images, the 270-meter-long tanker “Caroline Bezengi,” which is believed to be part of Russia’s so-called shadow fleet, is leaking ever-increasing amounts of oil. The oil slick has now grown to cover an area of about 600 square kilometers, according to the environmental organization Greenpeace. That is roughly twice the size of Munich.

The “Caroline Bezengi” is located in an ecologically sensitive region off the coast of Oman. According to Greenpeace, coral reefs, sea turtles, migratory birds, and marine mammals, among others, are at risk. The waters around the protected islands in this area—where seabirds nest and turtles lay their eggs—are also home to the rare Arabian humpback whale.

No More Location Data Following Incident at Sea

The tanker, which is subject to EU sanctions, had most likely loaded oil at the Russian port of Novorossiysk, according to the geodata company Synmax, which analyzed satellite images. In early June, it apparently suffered an incident at sea and subsequently stopped transmitting location data. According to reports, the tanker was heading for a port in India.

There has been speculation as to whether Ukraine might have attacked the ship with a limpet mine. The country has attacked ships belonging to Russia’s shadow fleet on several occasions. However, because Oman is located far from Ukraine, such an attack would be logistically difficult to carry out.

Oman's Ministry of Transport has already called on the owners to remove the ship and its cargo from the area. According to reports, it is owned by a company in China that—similar to other ships in the shadow fleet—is said to be linked to a shell company in Shanghai.

The oil would probably have to be pumped onto other tankers

Greenpeace stated that without a responsible owner, adequate insurance, or even a flag state, there is a risk that Oman would have to bear the environmental and financial consequences alone. The tanker’s flag status remains unclear. To avert a disaster, the oil would likely have to be pumped onto another tanker.

Wim Zwijnenburg of the Dutch organization PAX, which researches conflicts and environmental issues, warned of a major environmental disaster should the ship break apart. According to Greenpeace, it is carrying about 110,000 metric tons of crude oil—nearly three times the amount of oil that spilled into the sea during the “Exxon Valdez” disaster off the coast of Alaska in 1989. That oil spill is considered one of the worst environmental disasters in international shipping history.