[ad_1]
Source: Dubai-Arabia.net
The issue of the oil tanker “Safer”, or what is described as the floating pump of the Red Sea, remains pending, despite the passage of years later (since 2014), and the successive warnings of a global environmental disaster, which may result from the oil leak from the ship estimated at 1.1 million barrels into the water Or even its explosion, with the confirmation of several reports of water leaks in it.
And in the new warnings, a cry came this time from within the company that owns the ship. A senior official at the Safer Company for Production Operations and Exploration, which owns the tanker, confirmed that talking about the maintenance or evaluation of the tanker through a team of United Nations experts is to ignore the facts and is going in the wrong direction.
“Predict a disaster”
He added in remarks to the Al-Sharq Al-Awsat daily on Thursday: “We are now really heading for an environmental catastrophe that we have not accepted in the history of Yemen or the Gulf region and it is in a fast race against time, but it seems that those responsible for the matter are not indifferent to the seriousness of the really dangerous situation. “
He also stressed that “the solution is not what the United Nations team is trying, according to Sanaa or Aden, by maintaining the floating reservoir. This approach is not the correct one, because the time it took for the United Nations team only visiting more than a year and until now they could not, and in the current way of dealing with the matter, the disaster is certain. ” And it will definitely come. “
Urgent tender
He stressed the need to pressure the United Nations team and the conflicting forces in Yemen to present an urgent tender to empty the Safer tanker as it is, explaining: “Against the idea of maintenance before unloading, we must bring a ship equipped (which is many in the world) with its equipment and all the equipment to remove the oil, if the oil is discharged. We will breathe a sigh of relief and the danger that threatens us all will disappear “.
He also noted that “the matter is related to priorities. First we must empty the tanker immediately, then we will discuss the change or repair of the ship or the project to build oil tanks on land. We have to remove the pump and the fuse from the oil spill, then there are many options. “
In addition, he noted that the company used to spend around $ 25 million annually solely on the maintenance of the tanker.
A fishing boat in the Red Sea off Hodeidah (Archives – France Press)
A slight spark can ignite the tank.
Regarding the current situation of the tanker, he said: “There is a seawater leak that occurred two months ago in the engine section and we partially overcame it and removed the water. Currently there is water trapped only inside the pipes, so far there is no oil leak, now we are in the process of tightening the openings through which the water enters. From the outside, because it is inside the hull of the boat to cool, and the sea water comes in naturally, but the problem is that the valves that used to stop them now do not work.
He continued: “The oil tanks have now exhausted the inert gas that used to protect them from any ignition, and the danger now is any welding or simple spark operation that can completely ignite the tank without stopping.”
Notably, the Houthis had asked the UN envoy, Martin Griffiths, to keep the oil in the “Safer” tanker in exchange for agreeing to maintain it.
[ad_2]
