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Automatically translated version. May contain inaccuracies compared to the original.
In a zoned maritime protected area off the coast of Oman, a large oil slick formed after a leak from the tanker Caroline Bezengi, which is associated with Russia's 'shadow fleet.' According to authorities, the polluted area reached nearly 390 square kilometers.
According to the government of Oman, the oil from the vessel, which sailed under the Cameroonian flag, began to leak at the end of July. The tanker is beached near Al-Kibliyya Island. The authorities are conducting a large-scale operation to stabilize the vessel and minimize the spill's impact on the marine ecosystem and shipping.
According to Greenpeace, by 4 August the pollution area had already reached about 600 square kilometers. Ecologists believe this indicates the tanker's condition is deteriorating.
“Caroline Bezengi” has a length of 274 meters. Greenpeace estimates the vessel was carrying around 800 thousand barrels of oil, and the leak has been continuing for several weeks.
Ecologists are especially concerned about the location of the accident. The Hallaniyat Islands are an important breeding area for seabirds and a nesting site for sea turtles. The surrounding waters are also home to a rare population of Arabian Sea humpback whales.
Abdulla bin Ali Al-Omari, head of the Oman Environment Authority, said 9 August that authorities launched a national response plan for an oil spill. Specialists are working to stop leaks, stabilize the vessel, and conduct underwater works to check the condition of its tanks.
According to vessel tracking data, in April the tanker loaded oil at the Russian port of Novorossiysk, after which it passed through the Suez Canal at the end of May.
The vessel was built in 2001 and is part of Russia's so-called 'shadow fleet'—a network of mostly older tankers used to transport Russian oil to circumvent Western sanctions. Such ships often operate under foreign flags and without Western insurance.
In June the tanker was among 39 ships removed from Cameroon’s shipping register. Sanctions on the Caroline Bezengi were imposed by the European Union, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Switzerland.
According to data from LSEG, the registered owner of the vessel is Rentoor Shipmanagement Ltd, and the operator is Villar Shipmanagement Ltd. Reuters noted that these companies are likely linked to China.
In recent months, European countries have strengthened oversight of vessels in Russia's 'shadow fleet,' also due to the risk of environmental disasters. Estimates put the network at around 1400 old and often uninsured tankers.
In July the European Union expanded the Atalanta naval operation, allowing it to inspect vessels that may belong to Russia's 'shadow fleet' in the Indian Ocean.
Prepared by: Nina Petrovich
Document: PDF proof of the original version of the news item "У берегов Омана возникло огромное нефтяное пятно из-за аварии танкера «теневого флота» РФ". It records the publication content at the moment of the first scan, the preservation date and the source: Bagnet.
