A senior official at the Safer Exploration & Production Operations Company (SEPOC) cast doubts on the ability of international donors and the United Nations to manage the operating expenses of the "Safer" oil tanker should they succeed in restoring the decaying ship.
SEPOC owns the derelict oil tanker that is moored north of Yemen’s main port of Hodeidah.
Explaining that the true challenge lies in operating "Safer" after maintenance is over, the official stressed the need to first unload the oil onboard the rundown ship to avoid an environmental catastrophe.
The Safer oil tanker is laden with some 1.1 million barrels of crude oil and has been stranded with no maintenance since early 2015, soon after the Iran-backed Houthi militias staged their coup in Yemen.
Left to deteriorate, the tanker threatens a grave environmental catastrophe in case of a leak or an explosion taking place.
UK Ambassador to Yemen Michael Aron warned that Houthis continue to reject granting UN experts access to the ship as they are exploiting the tanker’s dire situation to blackmail and pressure the international community.
Speaking under condition of anonymity, the SEPOC official confirmed that the UN and international donors have no plans for operating Safer after concluding its maintenance.
“In the event that maintenance is completed, the tanker needs operations to maintain it, and this requires costs and capabilities. If these capabilities were available to us, we would not have reached this dangerous stage,” the official told Asharq Al-Awsat.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi had confirmed that his country would play a positive and constructive role in the UN Security Council to reach an appropriate proposal for resolving the conflict over the tanker.
In a written message to the speaker of the Arab Parliament, Meshaal Al-Salami, the Chinese diplomat relayed China’s understanding of the dangers posed by Safer and his willingness to address the issue in the Security Council.
Houthi militias have been holding the tanker hostage since 2015 and not allowing any teams onboard to perform maintenance works.
