Oil Slick in Gulf of Oman Near Shadow Tanker as Greenpeace Calls for Action
An analysis of satellite images from the Gulf of Oman shows a potential oil slick forming in the hours after the tanker Front Eagle and the shadow fleet tanker Adalynn collided about 24 nautical miles off the coast of the UAE. Environmental activists from the Middle East and North Africa section of Greenpeace are calling for action to increase the monitoring in the region based on the increased tensions and dangers of an environmental disaster.
“Satellite imagery indicates a large plume of oil stretching up to around 1500 hectares (3,700 acres) from the site of the crash between two vessels, Adalynn and Front Eagle, in the Gulf of Oman, approximately 22 nautical miles east of Khor Fakkan, near the Strait of Hormuz,” reports Greenpeace. It is using satellite images from Planet Labs PBC.
Further, the group cites data from Veson Nautical and Lloyd’s List Intelligence to assert that Adalynn was carrying approximately 70,000 tons of crude oil “despite being officially listed in ballast condition.” This is based on an analysis that reportedly shows the tanker currently with a 9.3-meter (30.5-foot) draft.
“Greenpeace MENA urges all concerned authorities to act swiftly to contain the spill and assess its ecological impact,” the group said in a statement from Farah Al Hattab, Campaigner at Greenpeace Middle East and North Africa. “We call on shipping companies, governments, and oil industry actors to commit to full transparency regarding environmental consequences of oil spills and the measures being taken for cleanup. Additionally, we urge governments in the region to increase investment in maritime monitoring, early-warning systems, and contingency plans to effectively respond to future oil pollution incidents. Environmental security must be treated as national and regional security.”
The statement contradicts information from the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure in Abu Dhabi which said the incident, “resulted in minor surface damage to the outer hulls of both ships, a small oil spill, and a fire.” The ministry is saying that it continues monitoring and assessment of the situation to ensure navigational safety.
The Russian news outless TASS is quoting an official from the consulate general in Dubai saying the crew of Adalynn is now in a hotel in Fujairah. It says the crew includes seven Russian citizens, including the vessel’s captain.
The collision happened at approximately 0130 local time Tuesday, June 17. The Ministry is saying that preliminary information indicates the incident was caused by a “navigational misjudgment” by one of the vessels.
Lars Barstad, CEO of Frontline operator of Front Eagle, made a similar assertion on Wednesday speaking at Marine Money Week in New York describing the encounter with a "dark fleet" tanker. He said the company had “no information” regarding the media reports of GPS jamming. He also asserted that “ships have redundancy for navigation” meaning the officers on the bridge would have better information than the AIS signal data relayed by sites on the Internet.
The maritime AI data analytics firm Windward issued a report saying “Front Eagle experienced sustained electronic navigation interference. Persistent GPS and AIS jamming that preceded the tanker’s collision signals a new and growing maritime security threat in the region.”
Windward acknowledges the statements pointing to no relationship between the collision and the current tension in the region. It however also asserts that GPS jamming in the Arabian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz has impacted as many as 970 ships a day over the past four days.
The authorities in Abu Dhabi are saying that the fire has been extinguished aboard the Adalynn. Barstad told the audience in New York that despite dealing with a dark fleet tanker the incident had “went well” and they avoided a far worse disaster.