With the more than 1.1m barrels of oil now transferred from FSO Safer to crude oil tanker Yemen (IMO 9323948), (formerly known as the Nautica), an operation that was completed on August 11th, the next essential phase will be the installation of a mooring point attached to the pipeline, to which the Yemen will then be anchored.
The goal is to finish this work by September, before the weather in the area worsens. Negotiations to settle legal difficulties relating to the safe recycling of the FSO Safer and the future sale of its oil are continuing.
Additional funds were still needed to cover just the emergency phase of the salvage operation – estimated at $142m. The second phase of the project will cost an additional $19m and will include the removal and safe recycling of the tanker.
2008-built, Liberia-flagged, 159,911 gt Yemen is owned and managed by SEPOC (Safer Exploration and Production Operations Co) of Sana’a, Yemen. It is entered with West P&I on behalf of SEPOC.