Latest News

Operation to tow stricken tanker and avoid spill starts in Red Sea - shipping source

The operation has begun to tow a Greekregistered oil tanker stranded in the Red Sea after an attack by Houthi militants last month, a shipping source told Reuters on Saturday.

Towing the 900-foot (274.2-metre) MV Sounion to security is the first step in a risky operation to restore the vessel that ignited after it was repeatedly assaulted on Aug. 21.

The second step is the transfer of its cargo of about 1 million barrels of crude oil. Saudi Arabia, a crucial gamer in the area, will use its assistance with that job, sources have stated.

Any oil spill could be among the biggest from a ship, running the risk of catastrophic ecological damage in an area that is especially dangerous to get in. An initial effort to salvage the vessel was paused earlier this month due to security reasons.

A minimum of two tugboats owned by a Greek-based salvage company are associated with the most recent towing attempt, sources told Reuters on Thursday.

Aspides, the European Union's naval objective in the Red Sea, stated on Saturday that its assets were in the area to secure the vessels involved in the operation. It described the operation as a complicated endeavour.

Developing a secure environment is essential for the tugboats to conduct the towing operation, Aspides stated in a statement on Facebook.

The salvage operation of the MV Sounion is necessary in order to avert a potential ecological disaster in the region. To accomplish this, numerous public and private actors are working together.

(source: Reuters)