UN warns of environmental catastrophe posed by stranded FSO off Yemen

An abandoned FSO off Yemen with 1.1m barrels of oil onboard has been branded a potential environmental disaster in waiting by the United Nations.

The decaying, misleadingly named Safer FSO has been moored and left without maintenance near the war-torn Yemeni port of Ras Isa for more than four years, according to the UN.

Mark Lowcock, the UN undersecretary-general for humanitarian affairs, told the UN Security Council last week, that the vessel poses a grave danger either from a leak or worse still an explosion given the likely build up of inert gases in the ship.

“I leave it to you to imagine the effect of such a disaster on the environment, shipping lanes and the global economy,” he said in a speech to the Security Council.