Justice minister, DGA chief discuss partnership to boost digital judicial services    Netanyahu does not rule out further strikes on Hamas leaders    US farmers are being squeezed – and it's testing their deep loyalty to Trump    Romania condemns 'irresponsible' Moscow after Russian drone breaches its airspace    Kirk's assassination is forcing US politicians to make difficult choices about their safety    India players refused handshakes, says Pakistan coach    Final stage of Spanish Vuelta cycling race abandoned after disruption by pro-Palestine protesters    Mané fires Al Nassr past Al Kholood to keep perfect start as Ronaldo honored    Lacazette brace earns NEOM SC first Saudi Pro League win    Adolescence star Owen Cooper makes Emmys history at 15    Saudi liquidity grows 8.4%, reaching SR3.1 trillion in July 2025    Over 434,000 people acquire first aid skills during nationwide health campaign    Saudi Arabia's legislative advancement highlighted at International Conference on Judicial Training    Sudden swerving among 3 major causes of accidents in Riyadh in 2024    Princess Haifa emphasizes pivotal Saudi role in shaping future of tourism    Sahm Capital names Saudi Olympian Fayik Abdi as brand ambassador    SR9000 fine for copyright infringement using AI    King Charles and Prince Harry finally reunite after 19 months apart    Anastacia: Arnold Schwarzenegger made me sing Whatta Man 12 times    Thousands pay their last respects to Giorgio Armani, private funeral on Monday    The key to happiness    Sholay: Bollywood epic roars back to big screen after 50 years with new ending    Ministry launches online booking for slaughterhouses on eve of Eid Al-Adha    Shah Rukh Khan makes Met Gala debut in Sabyasachi    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Guterres ‘deeply concerned' over environmental threat posed by stricken oil tanker off Yemen coast
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 15 - 08 - 2020

The UN chief is "deeply concerned" about the condition of the FSO Safer oil tanker, moored off the western coast of Yemen, his spokesperson said on Friday.
Built in 1974, the ship reportedly sprang a leak in 2019, after being used as a storage vessel since the late 1980s, and was abandoned after its engine room flooded with seawater, threatening to destabilize the vessel and discharge its cargo.
The aging tanker has had almost no maintenance since the civil conflict in Yemen intensified in 2015 and risks causing a major oil spill, explosion or fire, that would have catastrophic environmental and humanitarian consequences for Yemen and the region.
Secretary-General António Guterres maintained that the potential oil slick in the Red Sea would not only "severely harm Red Sea ecosystems relied on by 30 million people across the region", but would also force the Hodeidah port to close for months — further exacerbating Yemen's already severe economic crisis and "cut off millions of people from access to food and other essential commodities".
"The Secretary-General urges the removal of any obstacles to the efforts needed to mitigate the dangers posed by the Safer tanker without delay," said UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric.
The UN chief specifically called for granting independent technical experts "unconditional access to the tanker to assess its condition and conduct any possible initial repairs," he added.
"The assessment will provide crucial scientific evidence for the next steps to be taken in order to avert catastrophe," Dujarric explained.
Demands for action
On Tuesday, international environmental group Greenpeace wrote a letter to the Secretary-General, calling on the UN to make the situation its top priority and use its "full diplomatic and technical capacity to carry out an urgent on-board technical assessment to determine what repairs are needed to make the vessel at least temporarily safe."
And in mid-July, the UN Environment Program (UNEP) chief, Inger Andersen, told the Security Council that the clock was ticking for getting a UN team of experts aboard the Safer, before it spills its cargo of 1.148 million barrels of light crude oil into the Red Sea, triggering what would likely then be an "environmental, economic and humanitarian catastrophe". — UN News


Clic here to read the story from its source.