The VLCC, “NAUTICA,” has arrived in Yemen to remove around a million barrels of oil from the decaying oil tanker, “FSO Safer.” FSO Safer has been in a precarious condition due to a lack of maintenance and poses a significant risk of breaking apart or exploding.
Yemen’s Foreign Minister, Ahmed Bin Mubarak, confirmed the arrival of the VLCC NAUTICA, which has anchored at the Hodeida port, Yemen’s primary port on the Red Sea.
Originally constructed as an oil tanker in 1976, FSO Safer was converted into a floating storage facility in 1987 and has been moored nine kilometers off the Ras Issa peninsula in Yemen since 1988. Unfortunately, the ongoing conflict in Yemen has prevented the ship from receiving maintenance since 2015, leading to its severe deterioration and imminent danger.
To address this critical situation, the UN Development Programme (UNDP) acquired the NAUTICA from Euronav in March explicitly for the purpose of removing the oil from the decaying tanker. The arrival of the Nautica marks the final phase, as pumping operations have begun. Salvage company SMIT and offshore services provider Boskalis conducted thorough inspections of the vessel before commencing the oil salvage process, and an oil boom has been installed to prepare for any potential oil leaks.
Once the oil has been successfully removed from the deteriorating tanker, the plan is to tow it to a green salvage yard, the location of which is yet to be determined.
The opinions expressed herein are the author’s and not necessarily those of News2Sea.
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