An unprecedented environmental catastrophe has been averted off the coast of Yemen. A scrap-ready oil tanker was pumped completely empty on behalf of the UN. On board the “FSO Safer” were more than a million barrels of oil.
An unprecedented environmental catastrophe has been averted in the Red Sea under the direction of the United Nations. The UN Development Program (UNDP) announced that the entire cargo of more than one million barrels of oil had been pumped out of the tanker “FSO Safer”, which was ripe for scrap, in a highly dangerous operation.
The 47-year-old ship is off the coast of civil war-torn Yemen. It hasn’t been serviced in years. It threatened to break apart or explode. UNDP boss Achim Steiner told the dpa news agency that a “ticking time bomb” had been defused.
Harsh criticism of oil companies
Despite this success, the UNDP urgently needs more money to scrap the tanker clean. Steiner sharply criticized the oil and gas industry, which has so far not been very generous: “It is embarrassing and difficult to understand that oil and gas companies, which have had a record year with profits in the billions, do not see themselves in a position to participate.”
He has now written to the bosses of several companies and asked for support, says Steiner. The UNDP has already had to make advances and have had to take money from pots that are no longer available for humanitarian projects.
The ailing oil tanker “FSO Safer” lies off the coast of Yemen.
$20 million missing
The entire operation including the scrapping of the 350 meter long “FSO Safer” costs around 143 million dollars (around 130 million euros). The UNDP is still short of around $20 million. With a good twelve million dollars, Germany is one of the largest donors to the campaign.
UNDP chief Steiner said an accident on the “FSO Safer” would have had consequences for decades. The ship would have become a symbol of devastating environmental damage like the “Exxon Valdez” once did. The tanker ran aground off Alaska in 1989. The resulting oil spill is still considered the biggest environmental disaster in international shipping. “With what we have accomplished in the last few weeks, in a few months – thank God – no one will remember the name ‘Safer’.”
Tanks are cleaned
The oil is now on the tanker “Yemen”. The UNDP bought it specifically for the campaign. On the “FSO Safer” the tanks now have to be cleaned with seawater. The water is also stored on the “Yemen”. According to Steiner, contracts on where the “FSO Safer” will then be scrapped are about to be concluded.
The “Yemen” remains in Yemeni waters. Both sides of the conflict have agreed in principle that the oil will be sold and the proceeds will benefit the people, according to the UNDP. The situation in the country is considered one of the greatest humanitarian catastrophes in the world.
Revenue from oil sales for humanitarian aid?
Yemen’s civil war began in 2014 when Houthi rebels overran large parts of the country. It remains unsolved to this day. More than three quarters of the more than 30 million inhabitants are dependent on humanitarian aid. From the UN’s point of view, it would be conceivable for the proceeds from the sale of the oil to flow into a special fund under UN supervision. The fund could distribute the money according to principles agreed beforehand by all sides.
Negotiations on the terms of the oil sale are still pending. The UNDP will remain in charge of the FSO Safer until the end of the year and will train specialists from the Yemeni state oil company to maintain the tanker “Yemen”.