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Salvage efforts for the 'Sounion' have remained stalled for a week with new reports that Greece as the flag state of the tanker is leading diplomatic talks with Saudi Arabia exploring options. A U.S. spokesperson said it was their understanding that the vessel remains immobilized with the fires continuing, while the Department of Defense declassified drone footage of the fires. No official reason has been confirmed for the delay in the salvage attempts while several reports including the U.S. Pentagon cited ongoing safety concerns for the tugs and their crews hired for the salvage effort. A spokesperson for EUNAVFOR Aspides which was providing warships to protect the salvage effort referenced unspecified “technical issues,” with some reports saying more powerful tugs would be required to move the laden tanker. The concern is that the fires will eventually compromise the integrity of the vessel. Report with video: https://maritime-executive.com/article/talks-continue-over-tanker-burning-in-red-sea-as-u-s-releases-video

The 'Blue Long', en route from Jebel Ali to Rizhao, was boarded by five perpetrators, armed with knives, while transiting the Singapore Strait on Aug 27, 2024, at 11.20 p.m. approximately 4.2 nautical miles northwest of Pulau Nongsa in pos. 1° 15.25' N 104° 1.85' E. The intruders stole generator spares and escaped. No injuries to the crew were reported.

A salvage team has abandoned efforts to secure and tow away the 'Sounion' from near the Yemen coast after deciding it was too dangerous on Sep 3. It was not deemed safe for the salvors to proceed and board the vessel.After setting the tanker on fire the Houthis withdrew but have since given permission to salvage crews to approach with the intention of putting out the fires on deck and towing the ship to safety. The Suezmax tanker is fully loaded with crude oil and will become one of the world’s worst ecological disasters if the vessel explodes or otherwise breaks up and her cargo of 100 million barrels of oil escapes from her tanks. Aspides stated: “The private companies responsible for the salvage operation have concluded that the conditions were not met to conduct the towing operation and that it was not safe to proceed. Alternative solutions are now being explored by the private companies.”

The 'Blue Lagoon', en route from Ust-Luga, was attacked by Houthi terrorists on Sep 2, 2024. The tanker was struck twice by unknown projectiles 70 nautical miles northwest of Saleef, Yemen. The crew of the vessel contained the damage caused by the projectiles. Later, the captain of the vessel reported a third missile explosion in proximity to the vessel. All crew members were reported safe, and the vessel continued its voyage towards the next port call. The Houthi terrorists in a statement claimed responsibility for targeting the ship using multiple missiles and drones.

On Sep 2, the European Union’s mission in the Red Sea, Aspides, announced that the salvage operation for the 'Sounion' was set to commence. The salvage company Boskalis has received a request for assistance in the salvage of the Sounion'. The group said it has the capabilities but emphasized the security concerns before it would become involved. They may assist with offloading the tanker after it has beem towed from the Red Sea. Greece confirmed it was in contact with Saudi Arabia with unconfirmed reports that Saudi Arabia will oversee the removal of the nearly one million barrels of crude from the ship. Salvage crews have arrived at the ship as of Sep 2 and were in the process of investigating whether a part of the cargo could be transferred to another ship before the ship is towed into port to extinguish the fire on board. However, it was unknown whether there would be a port that may allow the burning ship to enter, and whether there were tankers that are prepared to take oil from a burning tanker on board. Three tugs were en route to the 'Sounion', the 'Gladiator' (IMO: 7621011) and 'Hercules' (IMO: 9558517), both beingsanctioned by US Treasury Office of Foreign Asset Control, and which were approaching from the south, while the 'Red Bull' (IMO: 7911636) was approaching from the north. Several fires continued to burn on the vessel’s main deck. The vessel remained anchored without drifting. On Aug 31 Houthi Foreign Minister Jamal Amer said that the tugs woud reach the tanker on Sep 1. Maritime experts and the EU naval mission in the Red Sea urged immediate and comprehensive international action to recover the 'Sounion' in order to avoid an environmental and shipping catastrophe in the Red Sea, which would affect Yemen and other Red Sea countries. “MV SOUNION represents a huge environmental risk that will affect all countries ordering the Red Sea,” the EU naval mission, known as EUNAVFOR ASPIDES, said on Sep 1. Wim Zwijnenburg of the Humanitarian Disarmament Project at the Dutch peace organization PAX cited recent satellite images, that the fire on the tanker was spreading because of the recent Houthi use of explosives onboard, which could damage the ship’s hull and cause the 'Sounion' to sink, leading to a deterioration of the structural integrity of the hull, which can have catastrophic consequences, with a wider environmental fallout for the Red Sea and coastal communities, The situation was getting more critical by the day. The fires were not contained and affected the pressure on the hull, which could lead to an explosion and loss of the entire ship, with the remaining crude oil spreading. Report with photos: https://maritime-executive.com/article/salvors-due-to-reach-burning-tanker-sounion-in-the-red-sea