An oil tanker, currently under sanctions, is leaking crude oil off the coast of Oman, with the spill worsening in recent days. This situation has raised serious ecological concerns regarding potential damage to coastal areas, as indicated by satellite images and maritime experts, according to Reuters.
Tracking data reveals that the tanker “Caroline Bezengi” loaded Russian crude oil at the port of Novorossiisk on the Black Sea before embarking on its latest journey.
The vessel first reported difficulties on June 8 off the port of Mukalla in southern Yemen. Maritime security sources indicated that initial assessments suggested an explosion had occurred on board.
A satellite image dated July 28 shows a dark oil slick in the water near the ship, with lighter patches to the north of al-Qibliyyah Island, which is close to Oman’s coast and falls within a protected marine area.
Wim Zwijnenburg, a remote sensing expert at the Dutch peace promotion organization Pax, noted that the darker oil patches indicate that at least one of the oil tanker’s hulls appears to be perforated, resulting in oil leaks.
The region’s monsoon season, which typically peaks in July and August, can bring severe weather conditions that could rapidly spread the oil, Zwijnenburg added.
Satellite Images Reveal Tanker Tilting
Reuters confirmed that the ship captured in recent satellite images is indeed the “Caroline Bezengi,” based on the structures on its deck and paint patterns that match archived images of the vessel, which is subject to sanctions from the European Union and the United Kingdom due to its alleged involvement in transporting Russian fuels.
The ship’s owner, registered in maritime databases as Rentoor Shipmanagement based in Shanghai, could not be reached for comment. Oman’s Ministry of Transport, Communications, and Information Technology did not respond to a request for comments.
A petroleum expert analyzing the satellite images suggested that the vessel is likely tilting to one side. Other maritime sources have warned that it could potentially disintegrate at any moment.
“Currently, the ship has not disintegrated. Authorities are in discussions regarding safety and environmental risks,” stated a spokesperson for the United Nations’ International Maritime Organization (IMO) earlier this week, adding that the organization is closely monitoring the situation.
Russia employs aging, often poorly maintained tankers in its so-called “phantom fleet” to circumvent Western sanctions on its crude oil exports.
It remains unclear whether the damages caused by the explosion aboard the ship were the result of a possible attack from Ukraine, which has targeted tankers linked to Russia in recent times, or if they stemmed from conflicts in the Middle East.
