Ambrey has started a large international salvage operation for the grounded tanker Caroline Bezengi near Oman. They are sending in specialists and equipment quickly to stabilize the ship, which is leaking oil.
On Thursday, the maritime risk and response company announced they are working to salvage the tanker, located near the Hallaniyat Islands in Oman’s Dhofar Governorate. They have also hired a top oil spill response company to assist.
Over 100 tons of equipment, along with salvage vessels, aircraft, and expert personnel, are being deployed for this response. Ambrey mentioned that the salvage ships are on their way and are expected to arrive soon.
Specialists have already boarded the Caroline Bezengi, with assistance from the Royal Air Force of Oman, to assess its condition and start securing the vessel and its cargo.
This operation is a significant ramp-up in efforts to manage one of the largest tanker oil spills in recent years.
The 25-year-old tanker, which carries about 800,000 barrels of Russian crude oil, ran aground on June 30 at Al-Qibliyyah Island, part of a protected nature reserve around the Hallaniyat Islands. The tanker first reported issues off Yemen on June 8, suspected to be due to an explosion.
The tanker is under international sanctions and is part of the so-called shadow fleet used for transporting Russian oil. Its lack of insurance from recognized Western companies complicates response efforts.
Satellite data analyzed by Reuters this week estimated that the oil slick has spread over more than 2,000 square kilometers, reaching the mainland of Oman.
Oil spill expert John Amos, CEO of environmental nonprofit SkyTruth, warned that if the tanker continues to break apart and loses more of its cargo, the spill could reach up to 40 to 50 million gallons, approaching the scale of the 1989 Exxon Valdez disaster.
Monsoon Complicates Salvage Effort
Ambrey mentioned that this response is taking place during Khareef, the annual monsoon season affecting southern Oman, which is making offshore salvage work particularly challenging.
The bad weather and rough seas are impacting vessel stability, the safety of crew members, access to the tanker, and the speed of operations.
“This is an extremely challenging situation, made worse by the adverse weather from the Khareef monsoon,” said Ed Wollaston, Ambrey’s Director of Global Response. “However, we have experts in each part of the response and have mobilized the necessary support equipment, aircraft, and vessels.”
Wollaston noted that teams are "working around the clock to reduce the environmental impact" and expressed gratitude to Oman’s Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology, Environment Authority, and the Royal Air Force for their help.
The International Maritime Organization reported on Wednesday that monsoon conditions have limited access to the tanker and caused delays in the salvage operations.
The grounding location has raised environmental concerns due to its proximity to the Hallaniyat Islands nature reserve, which is home to endangered turtles, humpback whales, coral reefs, and various marine species.
Ambrey will provide more updates as the operation continues.