The sinking off the coast of Yemen of MV Rubymar attacked by Houthi rebels, laden with chemical fertilizers, poses a significant risk of causing environmental damage in the Red Sea, further burdening the poorest country in the Arabian Peninsula.
The sinking of the Rubymar, previously falsely announced by the Houthis, has now been confirmed by the Yemeni government. The cargo ship, which had been anchored in the southern Red Sea, approximately 10 miles from Bab-el-Mandeb, sank “on March 2, around 2:15 a.m.” following an attack claimed by the Houthis on February 18.
According to Abdelsalam al-Jaabi, an expert from the Yemeni Environmental Protection Authority, the Rubymar was carrying 22,000 tons of ammonium phosphate and sulfate-based fertilizers, as well as fuel, including 200 tons of fuel oil and 80 tons of diesel.
Towing plan fails
Attempts to tow the vessel failed after port authorities in Aden, Djibouti, and Saudi Arabia refused to accept the ship, as reported by Roy Khoury, the CEO of Blue Fleet Group, the Lebanese operator of the vessel. Yemeni Transport Minister Abdulsalam Humaid stated that Aden’s refusal was motivated by fears of an environmental catastrophe, while Djibouti refused the vessel due to “environmental risks,” according to a source close to the country’s presidency.
Double pollution
Prior to sinking, the ship had already left an 18-nautical-mile-long fuel slick, according to the US military. With its cargo in contact with the water, thousands of tons of toxic products could “spill into the Red Sea and disrupt marine ecosystems,” warned Greenpeace, calling for an emergency plan to avoid a “major environmental crisis.”
The International Maritime Organization is working with its partners to assist Yemen. Beyond concerns about its cargo of fertilizers (21,000 tons of ammonium phosphate fertilizers transiting from the United Arab Emirates to Bulgaria), which could deteriorate local corals in the event of a massive spill, it is the onboard hydrocarbons that are worrisome. The wreck could also pose a navigation hazard in the heavily trafficked Bab el-Mandeb Strait. It “presents a risk of underwater impact” for other vessels transiting through this vital waterway, which typically handles around 12% of global trade.
European aid for the region
The Yemeni government requested European Union support on February 27 to combat resulting pollution. The Emergency Response Coordination Centre (ERCC) of the European Civil Protection Mechanism has called upon member state experts to provide necessary assistance. The French proposal for an expert from Cedre (Center for Documentation, Research, and Experimentation on Accidental Water Pollution) was accepted on March 1.
UN Special Envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg, announced that five experts from the UN Environment Program were scheduled to travel to Yemen this week to conduct an assessment in coordination with the Yemeni Ministry of Environment.
