A British maritime risk and response company has been brought in to contain an oil spill from a grounded Russian shadow fleet tanker off Oman, as crude continues to spread toward the country's coastline and a protected marine area.Ambrey, a UK-based maritime risk and response company, said its team, with assistance from the Omani air force, has boarded the Caroline Bezengi to assess the vessel and begin efforts to stabilise it. The 247-metre tanker ran aground off Qabiliyah Island after an explosion of unclear origin in early June.The vessel is now increasingly submerged, raising fears that it could break apart and release much of its estimated cargo of more than 800,000 barrels of oil. "This is an extremely challenging situation, compounded by adverse weather conditions associated with the Khareef monsoon," Ambrey's global response director Ed Wollaston said.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/who-bears-responsibility-iran-wants-polluter-pays-rule-for-strait-of-hormuz-as-oil-slick-plagues-qeshm-1786582552036">'Who bears responsibility?': Iran wants 'polluter pays' rule for Strait of Hormuz as oil slick plagues Qeshm</a><h2>Oil reaches Oman's shoreline: Why it matters</h2>Satellite imagery has shown the slick spreading across hundreds of square kilometres, with the oil now reaching the shoreline at Ras Madrakah, more than 200 kilometres north of the grounding site.Oman's Environment Authority has warned that the pollution could travel another 100 kilometres north towards Masirah Island. The spill is particularly concerning because Qabiliyah Island's marine protected area contains coral reefs, seagrass meadows and breeding grounds for endangered turtles and migratory birds. It is also home to the rare Arabian Sea humpback whale.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">🚨🇴🇲 Oman: the CAROLINE BEZENGI oil spill has now reached the coast. The slick has expanded to more than 2000 km², according to satellite imagery analysed by Reuters. Marine risk and salvage specialist Ambrey is now involved in the emergency operation to salvage the grounded… <a href="https://t.co/UWkS0JZ5Ps">https://t.co/UWkS0JZ5Ps</a> <a href="https://t.co/q14maSKD2B">pic.twitter.com/q14maSKD2B</a>&mdash; Russian Forces Spotter (@TiaFarris10) <a href="https://x.com/TiaFarris10/status/2087895745164665259?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 13, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://x.com/hashtag/Oman?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Oman</a>: Shadow fleet tanker Caroline Bezengi oil spill hits 2000km², fouling Ras Madrakah beaches near Shalim Wa Juzor. Uninsured ship drifted 3 weeks from Yemen via monsoon till grounding. Marine ecosystem under severe threat.<a href="https://x.com/hashtag/Geolocated?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Geolocated</a> at 17.4938, 56.3201 <a href="https://t.co/WQlFYKrjZA">pic.twitter.com/WQlFYKrjZA</a>&mdash; OSGINT (@posted_news) <a href="https://x.com/posted_news/status/2087990218339004720?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 13, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Greenpeace campaigner Hanen Keskes said the arrival of oil on the coast could make the response far more difficult."It can make the cleanup significantly more complex than containment at sea," she said, warning that environmental damage could continue for years even after the slick is removed.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-war-eating-into-america-s-drone-arsenal-us-has-lost-nearly-1-in-4-mq-9-reaper-drones-claims-report-1786683553521">Iran war eating into America's drone arsenal? US has lost nearly 1 in 4 MQ-9 Reaper drones, claims report</a><h2>Russian shadow fleet tanker to blame</h2>The Caroline Bezengi is believed to be part of Russia's so-called shadow fleet, a network of vessels used to transport Russian oil while evading Western sanctions. Britain and the European Union have sanctioned the tanker over its alleged role in carrying Russian oil.The vessel left Russia's Black Sea port of Novorossiysk in May, according to SynMax Maritime. Its owners are believed to be based in Shanghai. The tanker is reportedly unflagged, while its insurance status remains unclear.The remote location and rough seasonal weather are adding to the difficulty of the salvage operation. Ambrey has not said how long the operation will take or how much it will cost.The Oman spill comes as another oil pollution incident is unfolding across the Strait of Hormuz, where Iran has reported contamination along the shores of Qeshm Island. Tehran has called for environmental protection to be included in any future arrangements governing the strategic waterway.

A grounded Russian shadow fleet tanker off Oman is sinking deeper as an oil slick spreads towards the coastline and a protected marine area. A British maritime response company has now boarded the vessel to assess the damage and begin efforts to contain the spill.

A British maritime risk and response company has been brought in to contain an oil spill from a grounded Russian shadow fleet tanker off Oman, as crude continues to spread toward the country's coastline and a protected marine area. Ambrey, a UK-based maritime risk and response company, said its team, with assistance from the Omani air force, has boarded the Caroline Bezengi to assess the vessel and begin efforts to stabilise it. The 247-metre tanker ran aground off Qabiliyah Island after an explosion of unclear origin in early June. The vessel is now increasingly submerged, raising fears that it could break apart and release much of its estimated cargo of more than 800,000 barrels of oil. "This is an extremely challenging situation, compounded by adverse weather conditions associated with the Khareef monsoon," Ambrey's global response director Ed Wollaston said. Also read | 'Who bears responsibility?': Iran wants 'polluter pays' rule for Strait of Hormuz as oil slick plagues Qeshm Oil reaches Oman's shoreline: Why it matters Satellite imagery has shown the slick spreading across hundreds of square kilometres, with the oil now reaching the shoreline at Ras Madrakah, more than 200 kilometres north of the grounding site. Oman's Environment Authority has warned that the pollution could travel another 100 kilometres north towards Masirah Island. The spill is particularly concerning because Qabiliyah Island's marine protected area contains coral reefs, seagrass meadows and breeding grounds for endangered turtles and migratory birds. It is also home to the rare Arabian Sea humpback whale.

A grounded Russian shadow fleet tanker off Oman is sinking deeper as an oil slick spreads towards the coastline and a protected marine area. A British maritime response company has now boarded the vessel to assess the damage and begin efforts to contain the spill.

'Extremely challenging situation': UK firm joins rescue race as oil spill from Russian shadow fleet tanker spreads along Oman's coast

The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) launched an extensive pollution response operation to tackle the oil spill generated by the sinking of the Liberian container vessel MV MSC ELSA 3 on May 25, 2025, about 15 nautical miles southwest of Alappuzha, Kerala. Just hours after the vessel submerged completely, ICG surveillance aircraft detected an oil slick at the site, raising environmental concerns.More than 100 containers were spotted floating, with some breaking apart and their contents scattered in adjacent waters.&nbsp;ICG Ship Saksham, which was already stationed in pollution response configuration, was deployed immediately, while an ICG Dornier aircraft conducted aerial assessments and dispersed Oil Spill Dispersant (OSD) across the affected zone.By late morning on May 25, the oil slick was spotted drifting east-southeast from the site of the sinking at a speed of 1.5 to 2 knots.&nbsp;&nbsp;The rough seas and strong winds presented challenging conditions for responders, but the ICG personnel continued operations with professionalism and resilience, navigating dangerous waters littered with floating containers and ensuring safe diversion of all merchant traffic away from the affected zone.&nbsp;To ensure safety, all passing ships have been diverted, and mariners have been warned to navigate cautiously due to floating debris and potential navigation hazards.ICG intensified surveillance and spill mitigation efforts using aerial sorties and specialised dispersal equipment. Two Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs) remain on-site for round-the-clock monitoring.&nbsp;In addition, the ICG has mobilised ICG Ship Samudra Prahari, a specialised Pollution Response Vessel carrying significant quantities of OSD, along with additional OPVs in PR configuration.&nbsp;The Mercantile Marine Department, Kochi, issued a pollution liability warning to the vessel owners M/s MSC under the Merchant Shipping Act, 1958.&nbsp;The MSC appointed T&amp;T Salvage for container recovery, oil removal, and environmental clean-up.The ICG also advised the Kerala state administration to prepare for shoreline clean-up and to alert local communities not to handle any cargo or debris that may wash ashore.The Indian Coast Guard remains committed to ensuring environmental protection, maritime safety, and effective disaster response in collaboration with all stakeholders.

The rough seas and strong winds presented challenging conditions for responders, but the ICG personnel continued operations with professionalism and resilience, navigating dangerous waters littered with floating containers and ensuring safe diversion of all merchant traffic.

The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) launched an extensive pollution response operation to tackle the oil spill generated by the sinking of the Liberian container vessel MV MSC ELSA 3 on May 25, 2025, about 15 nautical miles southwest of Alappuzha, Kerala. Just hours after the vessel submerged completely, ICG surveillance aircraft detected an oil slick at the site, raising environmental concerns. More than 100 containers were spotted floating, with some breaking apart and their contents scattered in adjacent waters. ICG Ship Saksham, which was already stationed in pollution response configuration, was deployed immediately, while an ICG Dornier aircraft conducted aerial assessments and dispersed Oil Spill Dispersant (OSD) across the affected zone. By late morning on May 25, the oil slick was spotted drifting east-southeast from the site of the sinking at a speed of 1.5 to 2 knots. The rough seas and strong winds presented challenging conditions for responders, but the ICG personnel continued operations with professionalism and resilience, navigating dangerous waters littered with floating containers and ensuring safe diversion of all merchant traffic away from the affected zone. To ensure safety, all passing ships have been diverted, and mariners have been warned to navigate cautiously due to floating debris and potential navigation hazards. ICG intensified surveillance and spill mitigation efforts using aerial sorties and specialised dispersal equipment. Two Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs) remain on-site for round-the-clock monitoring. In addition, the ICG has mobilised ICG Ship Samudra Prahari, a specialised Pollution Response Vessel carrying significant quantities of OSD, along with additional OPVs in PR configuration. The Mercantile Marine Department, Kochi, issued a pollution liability warning to the vessel owners M/s MSC under the Merchant Shipping Act, 1958. The MSC appointed T&T Salvage for container recovery, oil removal, and environmental clean-up. The ICG also advised the Kerala state administration to prepare for shoreline clean-up and to alert local communities not to handle any cargo or debris that may wash ashore. The Indian Coast Guard remains committed to ensuring environmental protection, maritime safety, and effective disaster response in collaboration with all stakeholders.

The rough seas and strong winds presented challenging conditions for responders, but the ICG personnel continued operations with professionalism and resilience, navigating dangerous waters littered with floating containers and ensuring safe diversion of all merchant traffic.

Indian Coast Guard tackles oil slick after Liberian vessel sinks off Kerala coast

California's oil spill crisis has taken a bit of a toll on the commercial fishing industry and it is also affecting the tourism industry. It's been two months since the incident occurred.

United States: Officials to meet to evaluate oil crisis

Sri Lanka on Thursday&nbsp;announced an investigation into possible oil slick resulting from the submergence of a container ship. The investigation is focussed on an oil patch of about 0.35 square kilometre (0.13 square miles) located off the island nation's western coast where container ship MV X-Press Pearl is submerged.

Coast Conservation Minister Nalaka Godahewa said local experts were asked to examine the oil patch

"I visited the area by boat yesterday and what we noticed was a thin film of oil which looked like diesel," Godahewa told reporters in Colombo.&nbsp;

"It did not look like bunker oil, but we have asked our experts to examine."

The container ship went underwater after burning for 13 days. Experts in the field have warned that it would be a huge maritime environmental&nbsp;disaster if oil leaks from the container ship.

The owners of the vessel have already deployed representatives from the International Tankers Owners Pollution Federation (ITOPF) and Oil Spill Response (OSR) to monitor any oil spill and help with the clean-up of beaches.

Sri Lankan minister Godahewa said that five ships were anchored around the sinking vessel.The ships include two Indian Coast Guard vessels equipped to deal with oil spills. Godahewa added that a leakage from the submerged ship has not been reported.

Tonnes of microplastic granules from the ship swamped an 80-kilometre (50-mile) stretch of beach declared off-limits for residents. Fishing in the area has been banned.

(With inputs from agencies)

Sri Lanka on Thursday announced an investigation into possible oil slick resulting from the submergence of a container ship. The investigation is focussed on an oil patch of about 0.

Sri Lanka on Thursday announced an investigation into possible oil slick resulting from the submergence of a container ship. The investigation is focussed on an oil patch of about 0.35 square kilometre (0.13 square miles) located off the island nation's western coast where container ship MV X-Press Pearl is submerged. Coast Conservation Minister Nalaka Godahewa said local experts were asked to examine the oil patch "I visited the area by boat yesterday and what we noticed was a thin film of oil which looked like diesel," Godahewa told reporters in Colombo. "It did not look like bunker oil, but we have asked our experts to examine." The container ship went underwater after burning for 13 days. Experts in the field have warned that it would be a huge maritime environmental disaster if oil leaks from the container ship. The owners of the vessel have already deployed representatives from the International Tankers Owners Pollution Federation (ITOPF) and Oil Spill Response (OSR) to monitor any oil spill and help with the clean-up of beaches. Sri Lankan minister Godahewa said that five ships were anchored around the sinking vessel.The ships include two Indian Coast Guard vessels equipped to deal with oil spills. Godahewa added that a leakage from the submerged ship has not been reported. Tonnes of microplastic granules from the ship swamped an 80-kilometre (50-mile) stretch of beach declared off-limits for residents. Fishing in the area has been banned. (With inputs from agencies)

Sri Lanka launches investigation into possible oil slick off sinking ship

Official sources have confirmed to WION that the oil slick reported as seen near MT New Diamond was from the explosions that took place in the engine room and other parts of the ship and not from the cargo hold. According to the captain of the MT New Diamond and the salvors who are on-site the slick was formed by the fuel which was powering the ship(from the tank) and was not from the cargo hold. This comes amid reports fo an oil leak from the vessel.&nbsp;

Structurally too, only the superstructure (tower) of the cargo vessel which houses the accommodation section is badly damaged owing to the blaze. The ships rear-portion(aft), as seen in the images has sunken(trim) about 3-feet into the water given the amounts of sea water and foam that was sprayed to control the blaze.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/south-asia/sri-lanka-spots-oil-slick-from-fire-stricken-supertanker-326141" hreflang="en">Sri Lanka spots oil slick from fire-stricken supertanker&nbsp;</a>

A tea of salvors have also boarded the MT New Diamond for inspection and the appropriate course of action for employing larger tugs, as a part of salvage and towing will be undertaken. It is also said that the trim at teh rear-portion of the ship would be corrected.&nbsp;

On Monday a fire had re-ignited on-board the Very large crude carrier (VLCC) MT new Diamond off the Sri Lanka coast. It had been doused by Tuesday mornin and boundary cooling was being done to prevent re-ignition. The fire had almost risen to a height of upto 60 meters from the main, weather-exposed deck of the ship, which is also known as the weather deck. However, the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) has said that the blaze has been visibly doused and that measures are being undertaken to prevent re-ignition.&nbsp;

Sustained firefighting efforts by ICG Ships Sujay, Shaurya, Sarang, specialised ICG Pollution Response Vessel Samudra Paheredar along with Srilankan Ships and tugs ensured the intensity and magnitude of fire was reduced considerably by Tuesday morning. The master of MT New Diamond, on-board ICGS Shaurya has also intimated the Coast Guard that the fire appears to have been doused.&nbsp;The situation is being monitored closely and boundary cooling with sea water and application of foam has been enhanced to avoid re-ignition.&nbsp;

The MT New Diamond is being held about 30 miles from the Sri Lankan Coast by a tug boat and join firefighting and pollution response operations are being carried out by the assets of the Indian Coast Guard, the Indian Navy and their Sri Lankan counterparts.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/south-asia/fresh-fire-hits-stricken-oil-supertanker-off-sri-lanka-in-indian-ocean-325815" hreflang="en">Fresh fire hits stricken oil supertanker off Sri Lanka in Indian Ocean</a>

The&nbsp;ICG vessels have been deployed for fire-fighting and consequential pollution response for MT New Diamond off since September 3rd. A bilateral MoU between ICG and SLCG covers co-operation in the Marine pollution Response domain. The Indian Coast Guard is also the Competent National Authority under South Asian Co-operative for Environment Protection (SACEP) for responding and coordinating pollution response in South Asian Sea region.&nbsp;

In order to supplement the surface firefighting efforts with aerial dropping, the Lankan Navy had requested the Indian Coast guard for Dry Chemical Powder (DCP). To facilitate this, ICGS Abheek with 1.5tons of DCP was diverted from on-scene to enter Trincomalee harbour for the handing over. ICG Dornier aircraft&nbsp;&nbsp;with 700 kgs DCP was also dispatched on Thursday morning from Chennai to Trincomalee.&nbsp;

An ICG Dornier aircraft continues to operate from Mattala, Sri Lanka besides CG Helicopter embarked on&nbsp;&nbsp;ICGS Sarang being launched regularly for aerial assessment.&nbsp;No oil spill has been reported so far.&nbsp;

A 16-member salvage team including Marine Chemists and Naval Architects who are onboard Tugboats on-location&nbsp;&nbsp;are in agreement with the methodology adopted by ICG to fight fire and are providing suggestions to make the firefighting more effective.

This very large crude carrier- MT New Diamond is a Greek owned vessel, under charter by Indian Oil Cooperation. The vessel has been ablaze following a major explosion in the engine room, while transiting Sri Lanka’s Exclusive Economic Zone. The first information about the vessel being on fire was received at Indian Coast Guard Maritime Rescue Co-Ordination Centre (MRCC) Mumbai.

MT New Diamond is reportedly carrying more that 2.7 lakh MT Kuwait export crude oil that was destined for Paradip, Odisha. According to&nbsp;Marinetraffic dot com, MT New Diamond is a 20-year old Crude oil tanker that is 333 meters long and 60 meters wide.&nbsp;

Official sources have confirmed to WION that the oil slick reported as seen near MT New Diamond was from the explosions that took place in the engine room and other parts of the ship and not from the cargo hold.

Official sources have confirmed to WION that the oil slick reported as seen near MT New Diamond was from the explosions that took place in the engine room and other parts of the ship and not from the cargo hold. According to the captain of the MT New Diamond and the salvors who are on-site the slick was formed by the fuel which was powering the ship(from the tank) and was not from the cargo hold. This comes amid reports fo an oil leak from the vessel. Structurally too, only the superstructure (tower) of the cargo vessel which houses the accommodation section is badly damaged owing to the blaze. The ships rear-portion(aft), as seen in the images has sunken(trim) about 3-feet into the water given the amounts of sea water and foam that was sprayed to control the blaze. Also read: Sri Lanka spots oil slick from fire-stricken supertanker A tea of salvors have also boarded the MT New Diamond for inspection and the appropriate course of action for employing larger tugs, as a part of salvage and towing will be undertaken. It is also said that the trim at teh rear-portion of the ship would be corrected. On Monday a fire had re-ignited on-board the Very large crude carrier (VLCC) MT new Diamond off the Sri Lanka coast. It had been doused by Tuesday mornin and boundary cooling was being done to prevent re-ignition. The fire had almost risen to a height of upto 60 meters from the main, weather-exposed deck of the ship, which is also known as the weather deck. However, the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) has said that the blaze has been visibly doused and that measures are being undertaken to prevent re-ignition. Sustained firefighting efforts by ICG Ships Sujay, Shaurya, Sarang, specialised ICG Pollution Response Vessel Samudra Paheredar along with Srilankan Ships and tugs ensured the intensity and magnitude of fire was reduced considerably by Tuesday morning. The master of MT New Diamond, on-board ICGS Shaurya has also intimated the Coast Guard that the fire appears to have been doused. The situation is being monitored closely and boundary cooling with sea water and application of foam has been enhanced to avoid re-ignition. The MT New Diamond is being held about 30 miles from the Sri Lankan Coast by a tug boat and join firefighting and pollution response operations are being carried out by the assets of the Indian Coast Guard, the Indian Navy and their Sri Lankan counterparts. Also read: Fresh fire hits stricken oil supertanker off Sri Lanka in Indian Ocean The ICG vessels have been deployed for fire-fighting and consequential pollution response for MT New Diamond off since September 3rd. A bilateral MoU between ICG and SLCG covers co-operation in the Marine pollution Response domain. The Indian Coast Guard is also the Competent National Authority under South Asian Co-operative for Environment Protection (SACEP) for responding and coordinating pollution response in South Asian Sea region. In order to supplement the surface firefighting efforts with aerial dropping, the Lankan Navy had requested the Indian Coast guard for Dry Chemical Powder (DCP). To facilitate this, ICGS Abheek with 1.5tons of DCP was diverted from on-scene to enter Trincomalee harbour for the handing over. ICG Dornier aircraft with 700 kgs DCP was also dispatched on Thursday morning from Chennai to Trincomalee. An ICG Dornier aircraft continues to operate from Mattala, Sri Lanka besides CG Helicopter embarked on ICGS Sarang being launched regularly for aerial assessment. No oil spill has been reported so far. A 16-member salvage team including Marine Chemists and Naval Architects who are onboard Tugboats on-location are in agreement with the methodology adopted by ICG to fight fire and are providing suggestions to make the firefighting more effective. This very large crude carrier- MT New Diamond is a Greek owned vessel, under charter by Indian Oil Cooperation. The vessel has been ablaze following a major explosion in the engine room, while transiting Sri Lanka’s Exclusive Economic Zone. The first information about the vessel being on fire was received at Indian Coast Guard Maritime Rescue Co-Ordination Centre (MRCC) Mumbai. MT New Diamond is reportedly carrying more that 2.7 lakh MT Kuwait export crude oil that was destined for Paradip, Odisha. According to Marinetraffic dot com, MT New Diamond is a 20-year old Crude oil tanker that is 333 meters long and 60 meters wide.

Oil slick near MT New Diamond is from explosion, not cargo hold: Sources

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