Minister of Transport Abdelwahab al-Durra on Sunday warned of the catastrophic repercussions of pollution of the marine environment as a result of oil spills from tankers loaded with fuel in the waters of Yemen.
During a meeting held to discuss the national emergency plan to confront the pollution of the marine environment with oil, the Minister of Transport explained that the marine environment is being polluted as a result of oil spills from tankers crossing Yemeni waters, which affects the environment and marine life.
He stressed the importance of adopting and approving the national plan to confront oil pollution and marine pollution in general, whether intentionally or unintentionally, pointing out the importance of the concerned and relevant authorities taking measures to protect regional waters from the danger of oil pollution.
Minister al-Durra referred to the huge quantities of oil and petroleum products that are transported by ships through the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait, which requires preparation to face any environmental danger.
He pointed to the effects of the aggression and the siege on the disruption of marine equipment and mechanisms that needed periodic maintenance, in addition to the lack of materials for dispersing oil pollution, which leads to a lack of confrontation or response to any communications in this aspect.
The Minister of Transport renewed the call for the United Nations to expedite the replacement of the floating tank Safer, which is a bomb liable to explode at any time and its dangers are not limited to Yemen only, but also to the countries bordering the Red Sea from Djibouti to the Suez Canal.
For his part, Deputy Transport Minister Mohammed Al-Hashemi stressed the need to work in a team with the relevant authorities in facing pollution and protecting the marine environment.
He pointed out the importance of taking all necessary precautions to confront this catastrophic danger to Yemeni territorial waters.
In turn, Director of the Maritime Affairs Authority Salah al-Wazir, reviewed the contents of the national emergency plan to confront pollution of the marine environment with oil, stressing the authority’s keenness to protect the marine environment from pollution through the issuance of organizing laws and deterrent measures.
