Oil and Minerals Ministry Apples to The UN To Save ” Safer” Tanker

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The Ministry of Oil and Minerals appealed to the United Nations, represented by its office in Yemen, to play its role in protecting the Safer floating storage in the Red Sea from any targeting by the coalition of aggression .

The Ministry, in a statement, Tuesday evening, expressed its concern about the disaster and damage that might be exposed to the environment, marine life and coral reefs as a result of any diversion or targeting of the tanker, whose risks will not be only on Yemen but also to all countries bordering the Red Sea from Bab al-Mandab to the Suez Canal .

The statement pointed out that the Ministry of Oil and Minerals sent many letters, issued the data and demanded evaluation and maintenance on the tanker Safer.

It pointed out that the ministry continues to reiterate its appeals to the United Nations and international organizations to allow the sale of crude oil in the tanker Safer, benefiting from its revenue in establishing oil tanks as the ship has become decrepit and maintenance work is suspended due to the aggression, adding that if an oil spill occurs, it will lead to an environmental disaster in the Red Sea.

The Ministry of Oil called on the United Nations and international organizations to intervene seriously to neutralize oil installations from any targeting as vital institutions and property of the people.

Since the beginning of war waged by the coalition of aggression, it refused the entry of the technical team entrusted with maintenance work according to the United Nations, to carry out the maintenance of the tanker Safer. This threatens an imminent environmental disaster due to an oil spill that may reach the Mediterranean and the Arabian Seas.

The Safer, once Yemen’s main oil export facility, is a floating storage and offloading vessel moored about 50 kilometres north-west of Yemen’s port city of Hodeidah, the entry point for most of the  country’s humanitarian aid and imports. It contains more than 147 million barrels of crude oil and has had no maintenance for nearly five years, allowing explosive gases to build up in its storage tanks.

The Safer found itself with its large crew in a state of siege within the massive siege imposed on Yemen, which caused the suspension of its activity and then prevented the supply of the necessary fuel for its operation.