Oil spill from grounded tanker Caroline Bezengi reaches Oman's mainland coast

Oil leaking from the tanker Caroline Bezengi, which has been grounded off Oman's coast since June, has reached mainland beaches at Ras Madrakah along Oman's central coast, the country's Environment Authority announced on Wednesday. Up to 40 kilometres of coastline have been affected, according to the authority, and oil is expected to reach the southern coast of Masirah Island within hours.

The Caroline Bezengi reportedly suffered a suspected explosion on or around June 8, when the ship's crew reported the incident. No party has claimed responsibility and the cause has not been established, according to both sources.

The tanker has been partially submerged near Oman's Al Hallaniyat Islands. According to Euronews, it departed the Black Sea port of Novorossiysk in Russia in May, citing geospatial data from tracking company SynMax Maritime.

The vessel is identified by Western governments and both sources as part of Russia's shadow fleet, used to transport Russian oil subject to heavy sanctions following Moscow's 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The ship has been sanctioned by the European Union, the United Kingdom, and — according to Al Jazeera — also by Switzerland, Canada, and Ukraine.

According to Al Jazeera, the tanker most recently sailed under the flag of Cameroon, and was built in 2001. The open-source database OpenSanctions lists Rentoor Shipmanagement as owner and Villar Shipmanagement as operator, both based in China. Euronews notes the ship's owners are thought to be situated in Shanghai.

Oman's Environment Authority said the oil slick earlier this week measured nearly 400 square kilometres, concentrated around the Hallaniyat archipelago, home to a marine reserve established last year to preserve sea turtle habitats and other aquatic life, according to Al Jazeera. Euronews, citing recent satellite photographs, reports the spill is spreading over an area of more than 600 square kilometres, attributing the rapid spread to strong winds and currents during the monsoon season.

The authority stated that specialised teams are continuing monitoring, follow-up, and response operations, with priority given to areas of high environmental sensitivity.

According to Al Jazeera, the Caroline Bezengi was carrying an estimated 800,000 barrels of crude oil on board. Euronews reports the vessel was carrying nearly 1 million barrels of oil at the time of the incident.

Euronews notes Ras Madrakah is approximately 200 kilometres north of Qabiliyah Island, and that Masirah Island lies more than 300 kilometres north of the tanker's location. Al Jazeera describes Masirah Island as approximately 15 kilometres off the Omani coast.

Environmental groups including Greenpeace have raised alarm about the spill's potential impact on coastlines and ecosystems. Last week, Greenpeace warned of the risk of an 'unprecedented oil disaster' without urgent action to contain the spill, according to Al Jazeera.

Christopher D'Elia, a professor emeritus at Louisiana State University described by Al Jazeera as a specialist in oil spills, said the estimated volume of crude would amount to a 'fairly large spill.' D'Elia told Al Jazeera that vessels of this type do not comply with the 'polluter pays' principle that underpins spill regulation in the United States and other developed nations, adding: 'The responsible party must finance the cleanup in the US. In this case, there is no responsible party.'

Where sources differ

• The size of the oil slick differs between sources: Al Jazeera reports Omani authorities put the spill at nearly 400 square kilometres, while Euronews, citing satellite photographs, states the spill covers more than 600 square kilometres.
• The volume of oil aboard the tanker differs: Al Jazeera cites an estimate of 800,000 barrels, while Euronews states the vessel was carrying nearly 1 million barrels.

• The cause of the explosion or incident on June 8 has not been established by any source.
• No party has claimed responsibility for the incident.
• Neither Rentoor Shipmanagement nor Villar Shipmanagement, listed as the ship's owner and operator, is quoted or reported to have responded to the incident.
• The Russian government's position on the spill or the vessel's status as part of the shadow fleet is not reported in either source.
• The full extent of environmental damage to the Hallaniyat marine reserve and surrounding ecosystems has not been assessed in the sources.
• Details of what specific response measures are being taken by Omani authorities beyond monitoring are not provided.
• Whether any international assistance or coordination for the cleanup has been requested or offered is not addressed.

1. Al Jazeera English — original — by John Power
2. Euronews — by Jerry Fisayo-Bambi

Read the original at Al Jazeera English

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