The Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) has expressed worry over the continuous abandonment of FSO Safer, an aging oil tanker which was moored off the Western Coast of Yemen. IGAD noted that the FSO Safer is a ticking time bomb that has the potential to obliterate the environment and the Red Sea which support millions of people.

According to international experts, the Red Sea ecosystem will severely be affected if the rusting oil tanker, loaded with over a million barrels of crude oil, breaks up or explodes and catches fire.

The oil vessel was abandoned off the Yemeni coast after the outbreak of Yemen’s civil war in early 2015 and has since been there without maintenance.

Meanwhile, a possible oil spill from the dilapidated tanker would occasion a massive environmental catastrophe in the Red Sea which more than 30 million livelihoods rely on.

Moreover, Dr Workneh Gebeyehu, the Executive Secretary of IGAD, stated that an oil slick would exacerbate existing economic and humanitarian crises in Yemen and the region, including IGAD member states on the western shores of the Red Sea. Tragically, IGAD member states in the Horn of Africa, for instance: Djibouti and Somalia, may be directly affected should the tanker burst into flames.

Meanwhile, the 45-year-old FSO Safer is reportedly anchored about 60km north of the rebel-held port of Hudaydah where the Houthi rebels are in control of the massive ship. This rebels previously agreed to allow a UN team to access FSO Safer. However, there is yet an unresolved dispute over the rebels’ interest in the sale of the oil cargo.

Furthermore, Dr Workneh expressed his appreciation to the United Nations and welcomed its efforts to help avert any potential hazard that the tanker may cause the environment.

“The Inter-Governmental Authority on Development welcomes the UN efforts to deploy an assessment and repair team to the tanker and commends the UN Secretary-General’s personal attention and leadership in this matter.”
Dr Workneh Gebeyehu

Dr Workneh, therefore, called on the international community to “take urgent steps to stabilise the oil tanker, particularly through undertaking urgent repairs, and thereafter offload the oil it carries”.

He further indicated that “IGAD will remain seized of this matter with a view to urgently neutralising the threats posed by FSO Safer, in coordination with its international partners”.

Meanwhile, Inger Andersen, the Secretary-General and Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme, also warned that the Red Sea region would turn into a scene of disaster if the vessel’s oil cargo can’t safely be off-loaded in a timely manner.

“Time is running out for us to act in a coordinated manner to prevent a looming environmental, economic and humanitarian catastrophe.”
Inger Andersen

The UN expert further reiterated that “an oil spill could aggravate the security situation in the region as vital resources become polluted, scarce and contested.”

Considering a worst-case scenario, Andersen warned that the fishing community along Yemen’s west coast, estimated to be over 125,000 people, which are dependent on the resources of the Red Sea, would be affected within days of any oil spill.

“While Yemen’s west coast would be worst affected, other Red Sea countries, including Djibouti, Eritrea and Saudi Arabia, would be affected as well, in addition to the passage of more than 20,000 ships through the Red Sea every year”
Inger Andersen

However, according to UN experts, such a disaster will account for a potential impact cost of $1.5 billion over 25 years.