Salvage work begins on tanker leaking oil off Oman, risk firm says

What the report says

A salvage operation has begun to stabilize the damaged oil tanker Caroline Bezengi, which has been leaking crude off Oman since June, according to the risk management firm Ambrey, which is coordinating the response. Al Jazeera reported that the vessel, described as a suspected part of Russia’s shadow fleet, was damaged after crew members reported an unexplained explosion, and oil has since spread near the Hallaniyat archipelago and along Oman’s central coast.

Ambrey said specialist personnel had boarded the tanker and that salvage vessels, aircraft and other equipment were being deployed as part of a broader international response. The company did not identify all of the governments or firms involved, but said it was working with Omani authorities and another unnamed oil spill response company. The International Maritime Organization said it was monitoring the situation, while the International Oil Pollution Compensation Funds said it would not take part in cleanup efforts after concluding the incident likely fell under an act-of-war exclusion.

The environmental risks appear to be worsening. Greenpeace said satellite imagery showed the spill expanding from about 45 square kilometres in late July to roughly 1,300 square kilometres by Wednesday, well above an earlier Omani estimate of about 400 square kilometres. The group warned that the spill threatens coastal ecosystems, including a marine reserve established last year near the archipelago.

Experts quoted by Al Jazeera said the remote location, monsoon conditions and unclear ownership of the ship have complicated the response and underscored the need for stronger international mechanisms to address major maritime pollution incidents.