Oil reaches Oman coast, raising fears of major environmental disaster

Oil from a tanker stranded off Oman’s coast has reached the mainland, contaminating several beaches and raising fears of a major environmental disaster, authorities said.

Oman’s Environment Authority said oil from the Caroline Bzengy, which has been stranded off the country’s coast since June, reached beaches in the Ras Madrakah area, affecting around 40 kilometres of coastline.

Authorities also warned that oil could reach the southern coast of Masirah Island, about 15 kilometres from Oman’s mainland, within hours. Another 10 to 20 kilometres of coastline could be affected, they said.

Specialist teams are monitoring the pollution and working to contain the spill and minimise its environmental impact, with environmentally sensitive areas receiving the highest priority.

Omani authorities said earlier this week that the oil slick had spread across nearly 400 square kilometres at sea, with much of it concentrated around the Hallaniyat Islands. The islands are home to sea turtles and other marine species and were designated a marine conservation area last year.

Environmental groups, including Greenpeace, have disputed the reported scale of the spill, saying the actual extent of the pollution could be significantly greater.

The Caroline Bzengy has been stranded near Oman’s Al Hallaniyat Islands since June 8, after its crew reported a possible explosion. The exact cause of the incident remains unclear.

Western governments have identified the Cameroon-flagged tanker as part of Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet”, which is used to transport oil despite sanctions imposed on Moscow following its 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

Built in 2001, the tanker is under sanctions imposed by the European Union, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Canada and Ukraine. According to the open-source database OpenSanctions, China-based Rentur Shipmanagement is listed as the vessel’s owner, while Villar Shipmanagement is listed as its manager.

Environmental organisations have warned that the spill could have serious consequences for Oman’s coastline and marine ecosystem. Greenpeace warned last week that if the spill is not contained quickly, it could develop into an “unprecedented oil disaster.”

Christopher D’Elia, an oil-spill expert and emeritus professor at Louisiana State University, estimated that the tanker was carrying around 800,000 barrels of crude oil, posing the potential for a major disaster.

Speaking to Al Jazeera, D’Elia said the incident had raised questions over responsibility for the cleanup. He noted that in the United States, the party responsible for pollution generally bears the cleanup costs, but determining who is liable in this case could prove difficult.

Source: Al Jazeera

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