The Sounion suezmax, badly damaged and abandoned following multiple attacks by the Houthis on Wednesday, risks spilling four times as much oil as the Exxon Valdez, arguably tanker shipping’s most famous casualty.
The European Union’s naval taskforce in the Middle East has stated the Delta Tankers vessel is carrying 150,000 tons of crude oil, and it now represents a “navigational and environmental hazard” urging for no more attacks on the stricken ship, which was attacked four times on Wednesday. The ship was carrying a cargo of Basrah heavy crude from Iraq when it was attacked which led to a fire and the ship losing power. Its possible sinking in the Red Sea could lead to the fifth worst oil spill of all time, according to statistics carried by the International Tanker Owners Pollution Federation (ITOPF).
The 18-year-old Sounion is the third ship in Delta Tankers’ fleet to come under attack in the Red Sea with the Greek owner electing not to go in convoy with European naval assets for the voyage. Delta Tankers has said it is looking at ways to shift the stricken ship to a safer area, and eventually for repairs.
The decision by Delta Tankers to continue Red Sea transits despite being clearly targeted by the Houthis has attracted criticism. Thai shipowner Precious Shipping, for instance, in a social media posting today, noted: “[S]ome owners are choosing economics over safety by sending their crew into the Red Sea firing zone.”
The 10-month campaign against merchant shipping by the Houthis from Yemen – created in solidarity with the Palestinian war against Israel – has seen more than 100 ships targeted and a number of environmental catastrophes including the sinking of the Rubymar general cargo vessel and the Tutor kamsarmax.
