The League of Arab States welcomed the start of unloading oil from the decaying FSO Safer off the Coast of Yemen in the Red Sea to the alternative tanker Nautica. Stressing that the process is necessary to avoid an unprecedented marine environmental disaster.
Secretary-General of the League of Arab States Ahmed Aboul Gheit said in a statement that he looks forward to the completion of this mission, and praised all the Arab and international efforts made to help with this important process.
Aboul Gheit also called on all relevant parties; government, private agencies and environmental protection associations, to contribute financially of the remaining amount needed in order to successfully complete the task. This includes cleaning the tank from oil residues and dismantling it to completely avoid environmental risks.
He noted that a number of Arab countries contributed financially to the task and that preserving the marine environment a global responsibility that requires cooperation of all capable parties.
The Safer tanker has been in the Red Sea since 1988. Estimates show that the value of losses that might be caused by oil leaks could reach USD 20 billion.
Source: Qatar News Agency