Can a UN-coordinated Dutch-American plan defuse the ticking Safer ‘time bomb?’

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Updated 13 June 2022
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Can a UN-coordinated Dutch-American plan defuse the ticking Safer ‘time bomb?’

  • The objective is to raise $144 million, of which $80 million will pay for offloading the vessel’s cargo of oil
  • Time is of the essence if the plan, consisting of two simultaneous tracks, is to prove successful

JEDDAH: The saga of the Safer continues with an attempt by the UN to raise funds to salvage the stricken vessel that has been anchored close to Yemen’s Red Sea coast since 1988.

The plan is to raise $144 million, of which $80 million will pay for offloading the cargo of oil on board the Safer. To this end, the governments of the US and the Netherlands, represented by Dutch Ambassador to the US Andre Haspels, jointly hosted a meeting on Friday that was attended by Tim Lenderking, the US special envoy for Yemen, and representatives from the diplomatic community in Washington.

“We urge public and private donors to consider generous contributions to help prevent a leak, spill or explosion, whose effects would destroy livelihoods, tourism and commerce in one of the world’s vital shipping lanes,” a joint statement read, referring to the abandoned vessel.

The UN-coordinated plan’s objective is to avert an economic, humanitarian and environmental catastrophe that could affect not just Yemen, where 17 million people depend on humanitarian aid, but the wider region as well.

“The Safer is a ticking time bomb and it’s time to resolve the problem,” political analyst Dr. Hamdan Al-Shehri told Arab News.

“The vessel has been lying around for seven years unattended. It is the international community’s responsibility to put pressure on the Houthis on all levels to resolve the many issues confronting Yemen and Yemenis, including the Safer dispute.”

The ship, decaying off the port of Ras Isa in the absence of any maintenance, is believed to contain 1.1 million barrels of oil — four times the amount that leaked into Alaska’s Prince William Sound as a result of the Exxon Valdez disaster in 1989.

Commissioned in 1976 as an oil tanker and converted a decade later into a floating storage and offloading (FSO) facility, the Safer ceased production, offloading and maintenance in 2015 with the eruption of war and the capture of western Yemen by the Houthis.

The ship is currently moored about 4.8 nautical miles off the coast of Yemen’s Hodeidah governorate. Given the steady deterioration in its structural integrity, there is an imminent risk of an oil spill owing to leakage or explosion.




Damage to the Safer (above) has raised fears of an imminent oil spill owing to leakage or explosion. (AFP/File Photo)

In March, after years of on-again, off-again talks between the major parties concerned, the Iran-aligned Houthis apparently agreed to allow the UN to offload the oil stored in barrels on the Safer. Mohammed Ali Al-Houthi, the head of the Houthis’ Supreme Revolutionary Committee, confirmed the signing of a memorandum of understanding with the UN via Twitter.

The UN-coordinated plan, which is backed by the Yemeni government, consists of two simultaneously operative tracks. The first involves the installation of a long-term replacement for the Safer within an 18-month period, while the second entails the transfer of the cargo of oil to a temporary vessel over a period of four months.

The UN intends to keep the Safer and the temporary vessel in place until all the oil is transferred to the permanent replacement vessel. Afterwards, the rusting vessel would be towed to a yard and sold for scrap.

In April, Lenderking, Dutch Ambassador to Yemen Peter Derrek Hoff and UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Yemen David Gressly toured the region as part of a UN-led mission to raise awareness of the threat posed by the Safer and raise funds for the UN plan.

A month later, a scheme devised by Gressly to oversee the UN’s attempts to raise $80 million from donors began. So far, however, the world body has been able to raise only $40 million.

Meanwhile, the clock is ticking on the salvage plan.

INNUMBERS

* 181 million - Liters of oil stored in the decaying FSO Safer.

* 1.7 million - People in fishing industry in harm’s way in event of leak or explosion.

“If we do not receive sufficient funding urgently, the weather window to transfer the oil will close,” Auke Lootsma, resident representative of the UN Development Program in Yemen, said.

“By October, high winds and volatile currents make the operation more dangerous and increase the risk of the ship breaking up.”

A massive oil spill from the Safer would devastate fishing communities on the Red Sea coast and wreak havoc on the water, reefs and mangroves of the littoral states, notably Saudi Arabia, Eritrea, Djibouti, Somalia, and Yemen itself.

It would also lead to the disruption or even closure of the ports of Hodeidah and As Salif, which would greatly hinder commercial activity across Yemen and the country’s ability to receive humanitarian aid.

In any event, the cost of cleanup alone is expected to be $20 million.

“When the Houthis seized power in that part of Yemen in 2015, they took over the Safer but they lacked the know-how to maintain it,” Al-Shehri said. “Since then, they have been using the alarming structural state of the vessel as a bargaining chip, with the goal of grabbing the proceeds of the oil sold in the market or selling the oil in the black market for further gain.”




Representatives from Saudi Arabia, Djibouti, Egypt, Jordan, Sudan and Yemen sent a letter in 2020 addressed to the president of the Security Council, drawing attention to the risks the floating cargo posed to the region. (Reuters/File Photo)

He added: “With regard to the Safer, the Houthis will not agree to do the right thing easily, but with pressure they might. This would prevent a catastrophe whose repercussions would be felt thousands of miles away. The flow of humanitarian aid through the vital shipping lanes of the Bab Al-Mandeb Strait would be disrupted.”

Having said that, Al-Shehri cited two developments — the signing of the memorandum between the Houthis and the two-month ceasefire currently in force, the first nationwide truce since 2016 — as auguring well for the future of Yemen. In his opinion, the opening of the road to Taiz could help put an end to ongoing factional feuds and, with luck, even to the Houthi occupation.

“But to truly show their good intentions, the Houthis must cooperate with the international community and the legitimate government of Yemen plus its people and regional neighbors. They must also stop using the ship for political leverage,” he said.

“If the Houthis don’t show this spirit of cooperation, this would have dire consequences not only for Yemen but the entire region.”

Significantly, the UN ambassadors of Djibouti, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Sudan and Yemen sent a letter in 2020 addressed to the president of the Security Council, drawing attention to the risks the floating cargo posed to the region and calling for immediate action to stave off two nightmare scenarios.




The external piping system of the FSO Safer and the hose failure that led to a spill, moored off Ras Issa port, Yemen. (AFP/File Photo)

The first would be the ecological disaster resulting from the spillage of 181 million liters into the marine life-rich Red Sea. The second would be the havoc caused by dark clouds of toxic gases released by an explosion. In addition to damage to the health of some 3 million people in Hodeidah, 4 percent of productive agricultural lands in Yemen would suffer destruction of standing crops of beans, fruits and vegetables to the tune of more than $70 million.

The spill could lead to the closure of Hodeidah port for several months, which in turn would prevent the delivery of much-needed fuel and essential goods to the local population, cause fuel prices to soar by up to 800 percent and double the cost of goods in an already poverty-stricken nation.

Expectedly, a statement issued by the UN and the Netherlands government on May 11 made it clear that the timing and funding of the oil spill-prevention plan were of the essence.

And in comments to the media on Wednesday, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the US ambassador to the UN, said: “We know what the consequences are, we know the danger that is there, and we have encouraged others to contribute to the funding to this effort. But let’s be clear: The problem with the Safer is the Houthis, who have not allowed even the UN or others (access to inspect the ship.)”

Suggesting that the onus is on the Houthis to prove their sincerity, she added: “We can get all the money in the world, (but if) they don’t allow access, then we are still in the same place where we started. So, it is a two-pronged effort to get this (job) done.”

In the same vein, Dr. Al-Shehri points out that a settlement of the Safer standoff has been a long-standing priority of the regional actors, notably Saudi Arabia, which has been calling for a resolution of the many issues keeping Yemen embroiled in pointless conflict.

“The international community is responsible for all the chaos,” he told Arab News. “Its passive attitude is interpreted by the Houthis as a green light for continuing with their activities, so only the international community can, and must, resolve this matter once and for all. The solution is in its hands.”

 


Jordan condemns Israeli shelling near field hospital in southern Gaza, injuring nurse

Updated 4 sec ago
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Jordan condemns Israeli shelling near field hospital in southern Gaza, injuring nurse

  • Injury is not severe and the nurse will be transferred to Amman for treatment
  • Jordan’s chief nurse says ‘painful incident highlights sacrifices made by the Jordanian medical staff’

LONDON: Jordan condemned the Israeli shelling near the Jordanian field hospital in southern Gaza on Wednesday.

The Jordan Nursing Council reported that a Jordanian nurse sustained injuries to his hand and left thigh from shrapnel that fell while he was providing care to Gazans in the hospital. The nurse’s injury is not severe, and he will be transferred to Amman for treatment, the Jordanian Armed Forces said.

Dr. Hani Nawafleh, the secretary-general of the JNC, said the “painful incident highlights sacrifices made by the Jordanian medical staff ... (who never) hesitated to support their Palestinian brethren and provide all possible support and healthcare” in the Gaza Strip.

He said that the Israeli attack near the hospital was a clear violation of all human values, according to the Petra news agency.

Nawafleh praised the dedication of the medical services and Jordan Armed Forces personnel and affirmed that Jordanian nursing staff will continue to provide humanitarian services.


Netanyahu’s government faces possible collapse as opposition seeks to dissolve parliament

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. (File/AP)
Updated 11 min ago
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Netanyahu’s government faces possible collapse as opposition seeks to dissolve parliament

  • The ultra-Orthodox parties are furious that the government has failed to pass a law exempting their community from mandatory military service

JERUSALEM: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government faced a major test Wednesday after the opposition submitted a bill to dissolve parliament, with his ultra-Orthodox coalition partners threatening to support the measure and force early elections.
The ultra-Orthodox parties are furious that the government has failed to pass a law exempting their community from mandatory military service, an issue that has long divided the Jewish Israeli public, especially during the 20-monthlong war in the Gaza Strip.
While many expect a last-minute compromise, the vote is the most serious challenge to Netanyahu’s government since Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack, the biggest security failure in Israel’s history.
The opposition submitted a bill to dissolve the Knesset, Israel’s parliament. In response, coalition members submitted numerous bills, packing Wednesday’s schedule and buying time for last-minute negotiations.
The dissolution vote, if it is not pulled, is expected to take place late at night. Separately, Argentina’s President Javier Milei will address the Knesset on Wednesday.
The bill must pass another three readings before parliament is dissolved, a process that could take days or weeks.
Even if the bill passes, it could take weeks or months for new elections to be called. If the bill fails, another vote for dissolution cannot be brought again by the opposition for at least six months. The opposition could still pull the bill if there isn’t enough support and submit it again in the coming weeks.
Netanyahu’s coalition includes two ultra-Orthodox parties, and both would need to support the dissolution bill for it to pass. On Tuesday, top ultra-Orthodox, or Haredi, rabbis issued a religious decree emphasizing their stand against military service, which complicates the Haredi politicians’ ability to negotiate.
Military service is mandatory for most Jews in Israel, but the politically powerful ultra-Orthodox, who make up roughly 13 percent of Israeli society, have traditionally received exemptions if they are studying full-time in religious seminaries.
The ultra-Orthodox, also known as Haredim, or “God-fearing” in Hebrew, say that integrating into the army threatens their traditional way of life.
Israel is engaged in the longest active war in the country’s history, which has stretched its military to the breaking point. The Haredim’s widespread refusal to serve, and threats to topple the government during wartime, have enraged many Israelis, especially those who have served multiple rounds of reserve duty.
Since the start of the war, 866 Israeli soldiers have been killed.


Sudan paramilitaries claim key zone bordering Egypt, Libya

Updated 11 June 2025
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Sudan paramilitaries claim key zone bordering Egypt, Libya

  • Rapid Support Forces say they have captured the 'strategic triangle area' between the three countries
  • Army accuses eastern Libyan commander Khalifa Haftar of launching cross-border attack alongside RSF

KHARTOUM: Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces said Wednesday its fighters seized a strategic zone on the border with Egypt and Libya, as the regular army announced its withdrawal from the area.
The announcements came a day after the army accused forces loyal to eastern Libyan commander Khalifa Haftar of launching a cross-border attack alongside the RSF, the first allegation of direct Libyan involvement in the Sudanese war.
“As part of its defensive arrangements to repel aggression, our forces today evacuated the triangle area overlooking the borders between Sudan, Egypt and Libya,” army spokesman Nabil Abdallah said in a statement.
Since April 2023, the war in Sudan has pitted army chief Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan against his erstwhile ally Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, who leads the RSF.
In a statement on Wednesday, the RSF said its fighters had “liberated the strategic triangle area,” adding that army forces had retreated southward “after suffering heavy losses.”
The army said on Tuesday that Haftar’s troops in coordination with the RSF attacked its border positions in a move it called “a blatant aggression against Sudan.”
The war has effectively split Sudan in two, with the army holding the center, east and north, while the paramilitaries and their allies control nearly all of Darfur and parts of the south.
The fighting has killed tens of thousands and displaced 13 million, including four million who fled abroad, triggering what the United Nations has called the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.
Efforts by international mediators to halt the fighting have so far failed, with violence continuing to escalate across the western Darfur region and the Kordofan region in the country’s south.


Israeli court rejects appeals to release eight pro-Palestine activists arrested aboard Gaza-bound boat

Updated 11 June 2025
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Israeli court rejects appeals to release eight pro-Palestine activists arrested aboard Gaza-bound boat

  • Eight activists from Turkiye, the Netherlands, France, Germany and Brazil remain in the Ramla detention center
  • The court has scheduled a detention review hearing for July 8 if authorities have not deported the activists by that date

LONDON: An Israeli court ruled to keep in detention eight pro-Palestine activists who were arrested this week by the Israeli navy aboard the Madleen ship, which was bound for Gaza.

The British-flagged vessel, operated by the pro-Palestinian Freedom Flotilla Coalition, had 11 activists and a journalist on board, including the Swedish environmental activist Greta Thunberg, who was carrying aid for Palestinians in Gaza as an act of solidarity amid the Israeli attacks.

Israel released Thunberg on Tuesday following pressure from European governments. However, eight activists from Turkiye, the Netherlands, France, Germany and Brazil remain in the Ramla detention center, according to the Wafa news agency and lawyers from the Haifa-based Adalah legal center.

On Wednesday, an Israeli court rejected the appeals made by Adalah’s lawyers to release the eight activists and ruled to keep them in custody.

The activists are Suayb Ordu from Turkiye; Mark van Rins from the Netherlands; Pascal Moreras, Riva Fiard, member of the European Parliament Rima Hassan, Yanis Mohammadi, all from France; Tiago Ovila from Brazil; and Yasmin Ajar from Germany.

Adalah said that the Israeli court based its decision to continue the detention on the grounds of their “illegal entry into Israel.” The legal center emphasized that none of the Madleen’s activists intended to enter Israel or its territorial waters as they planned to depart from Sicily and reach Gaza’s territorial waters, which are part of the state of Palestine, via international waters.

The Israeli navy intercepted the Madleen ship early on Tuesday morning, detaining the activists and taking them to Israel.

Adalah said that the court has scheduled a detention review hearing for July 8 if authorities have not deported the activists by that date.

Following her release and deportation from Israel on Tuesday, Thunberg said: “I was very clear in my testimony that we were kidnapped on international waters and brought against our own will into Israel.”

“This is yet another intentional violation of rights that is added to the list of countless other violations that Israel is committing,” she said.


Child survivor of Gaza family strike heads to Italy

Updated 11 June 2025
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Child survivor of Gaza family strike heads to Italy

  • Adam and his mother, paediatrician Alaa Al-Najjar, flew to Milan Wednesday for treatment
  • He had a hand amputated and suffered severe burns across his body after the strike on the family house in Khan Yunis

ROME: An 11-year-old Palestinian boy who survived an Israeli air strike in Gaza last month, which killed his father and nine siblings, was due to arrive in Italy Wednesday for treatment.
Adam and his mother, paediatrician Alaa Al-Najjar, were due to fly to Milan in northern Italy on Wednesday evening alongside his aunt and four cousins, Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said.
“Adam will arrive in Milan and will be admitted to the Niguarda (hospital), because he has multiple fractures and he will be treated there,” Tajani told Rtl radio.
A plane carrying Palestinians in need of medical care is scheduled to land at 7:30 p.m. (1730 GMT) at Milan’s Linate airport, according to the foreign ministry.
Adam had a hand amputated and suffered severe burns across his body following the strike on the family house in the city of Khan Yunis on May 23.
His mother was at work when the bomb hit the house, killing nine of her children and injuring Adam and his father, doctor Hamdi Al-Najjar, who died last week.
Al-Najjar, who ran to the house to find her children charred beyond recognition, told Italy’s La Repubblica daily: “I remember everything. Every detail, every minute, every scream.”
“But when I remember it’s too painful, so I try to keep my mind focused entirely on Adam,” she said in an interview published Wednesday ahead of their arrival.
Asked by his mother during the interview to describe his hopes, Adam said he wanted to “live in a beautiful place.”
“A beautiful place is a place where there are no bombs. In a beautiful place the houses are not broken and I go to school,” he said, according to La Repubblica.
“Schools have desks, the kids study their lessons but then they go play in the courtyard and nobody dies.
“A beautiful place is where they operate on my arm and my arm works again. In a beautiful place my mother is not sad. They told me that Italy is a beautiful place,” he said.
Al-Najjar said she has packed the Qur’an, their documents and Adam’s clothes.
“I am heartbroken. I am leaving behind everything that was important to me. My husband, my children, the hospital where I worked, my job, my patients,” she said.
“People are dying of hunger. If not of hunger, of bombs. We would just like to live in peace,” she told the daily.
Adam is one of 17 children being brought to Italy on Wednesday from Gaza along with relatives, Tajani said.
The October 7, 2023, Hamas attack that triggered the war resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people on the Israeli side, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of official figures.
The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza says at least 54,981 people, the majority civilians, have been killed in the territory since the start of the war. The UN considers these figures reliable.