The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has issued a call for contributions of oil pollution response equipment to support operations related to the sinking of MV RUBYMAR in the Republic of Yemen.
On 2 March 2024, the cargo ship MV RUBYMAR sank off the coast of Mocha, Republic of Yemen, following a missile strike on 18 February 2024, with approximately 22,000 metric tonnes of ammonium phosphate-sulphate fertilizer, 200 tonnes of heavy fuel oil, and 80 tonnes of marine diesel on board.
The ship sank in approximately 100m of water and resulted in a 29-km oil slick in the days following the incident. The ship is currently partially submerged at the location of its sinking, with the remaining bunker fuel and fertilizer cargo onboard representing a significant environmental threat to the Republic of Yemen, in particular to the nearby Hanish Islands, a biologically rich area.
This call brings back memories from the FSO Safer incident. The FSO Safer had been stranded since the start of the Yemeni Civil War in 2015. It was considered a serious environmental threat due to the risk of its cargo leaking into the Red Sea, which could have devastated marine life, fisheries, and the livelihoods of millions of people in the region. Efforts to assess and mitigate the risks posed by the FSO Safer were complicated by the ongoing conflict in Yemen and the challenges of gaining access to the vessel for inspection and maintenance.
International organizations, environmental groups, and governments had called for urgent action to prevent a potential environmental disaster, in an effort that more than a year. After the long procedure, in August 2023, more than 1.1 million barrels of oil were transferred from the floating storage and offloading unit to a new tanker, the Yemen.
Now, in the face of this environmental threat, recognizing the lack of specialized oil spill response equipment within the country to respond to a possible leak from MV RUBYMAR, IMO takes the opportunity to invite in-kind contributions of spill response equipment in support of the Republic of Yemen.
The list of requested equipment, as shared by the Republic of Yemen, is set out in the annex of the Circular published by the IMO. The circular can be accessed here.
