Oil Spill Threatens Red Sea Environment
One of the ships–Belize-flagged bulk carrier Rubymar– hit by missiles from Houthi rebels has caused a significant oil leak. It now extends 18 miles or more into the Red Sea. The AP reports the problem could get worse. There is “danger of a spill from the vessel’s cargo of fertilizer.” Ships in transit through the Red Sea to the Suez Canal carry oil, are fueled by oil, and often carry chemicals that are dangerous to the environment.
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While a major chemical or oil leak from one of these vessels will not be anything like the Exxon Valdez, it could require significant containment and intervention to halt damage to the adjacent waters and shorelines. This adds another dimension to the threat to human life and cargo value. It also raises the threat level caused by engagements with the Houthi rebels. The rebels’ military efforts do not appear to have been blunted by UK or US forces’ counterattacks.
For the most part, no one had anticipated that the Red Sea conflict could become a significant environmental threat. Until attacks caused some ships to be directed south of the Cape of Good Hope toward Asia, about 60 ships a day went through the Suez Canal. About 20 of these are oil tankers. Some are among the largest oil tankers in the world. These can carry as many as two million barrels of crude.
The threat of oil spills is not new to the Red Sea. In June 2023, a 47-year-old supertanker, which had been inactive, held 100 million barrels of oil. A UN-led group pumped the oil from the structure at the cost of about $144 million. The UN had warned the ship was a “ticking timebomb,” which could have caused a huge environmental disaster.
One environmental disaster in the Red Sea has been resolved. An attack on shipping in the region could cause another.
