Oil Slick from Russian “Shadow Fleet” Tanker Off Oman Grows to 600 Square Kilometers, Greenpeace Says
As The Insider previously reported, the tanker Caroline Bezengi (IMO 9224439), which ran aground off the coast of Oman in June, has become the source of an ongoing oil spill. The vessel, which has a deadweight tonnage of 159,168 tons and is 274 meters long, is grounded off Al Qibliyah island. The tanker ran aground on June 12 after a series of explosions, the cause of which remains unknown.
The formal owner of the Cameroon-flagged tanker is Rentoor Shipmanagement, a company registered in Shanghai. As an investigation by The Insider previously found, the Caroline Bezengi belongs to a group of tankers linked to the Cyprus-based company Lagosmarine Ltd. Those vessels regularly carried Russian oil from Primorsk, Ust-Luga, and Kozmino to India and China.
Sanctions and Investigations
The investigation found that Caroline Bezengi’s routes coincided with shipments of oil bought from Russia’s Surgutneftegaz by Dubai-based companies linked to Latvian citizen Aleksejs Haļavins at prices above the G7 price cap. Lagosmarine Ltd was later sanctioned by the United States and Ukraine. Caroline Bezengi is under sanctions from the European Union, Switzerland, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, and Canada.
Environmental Concerns
The oil slick from the Caroline Bezengi poses a significant threat to the environment, particularly in the Al Hallaniyat archipelago, where sea turtles and birds that use the area as a nesting site are at risk. Greenpeace MENA campaigner Hanen Keskes emphasized the importance of addressing this issue, stating that the oil spill must be cleaned up promptly to prevent further harm.
Ongoing Efforts
As efforts continue to contain the oil slick, international organizations and local authorities are working together to mitigate the environmental impact. The exact extent of the damage caused by the Caroline Bezengi remains unclear, but it is evident that prompt action is necessary to prevent long-term harm to the ecosystem.
Original Article: Oil slick from Russian “shadow fleet” tanker off Oman grows to 600 square kilometers, Greenpeace says — Theins