Boskalis – SMIT Salvage Starts FSO Safer Oil Transfer

Following the successful mooring of the very large crude carrier Yemen (formerly known as Nautica) alongside the FSO Safer off Yemen’s Red Sea coast, our SMIT Salvage colleagues were able to take the final precautions, connect the hoses between the two tankers and start the ship-to-ship transfer of the approximate 1.14 million barrels of crude oil from the decaying FSO Safer into the replacement oil tanker Yemen. Pumping commenced today at 10:45 local time.

Once the Yemen arrived on site last week, the vessel was moored alongside the Safer’s starboard side over the weekend. During this successful mooring operation, the Yemen was assisted by the Smit Lamnalco tugs SL Aden and SL Manakin; Boskalis’ multipurpose support vessel Ndeavor remained alongside the Safer on its port side to keep the heading of the FSO Safer in position during the mooring operation. Subsequently oil booms were installed on the bow and stern between both vessels as a precautionary measure during the cargo transfer.

The start of the ship-to-ship transfer of the oil, which is expected to take around two to three weeks, marks an important milestone in this United Nations-coordinated operation to avert a potential massive environmental and humanitarian disaster.

SDource Boskalis