{"id":22194,"date":"2020-11-26T17:47:19","date_gmt":"2020-11-26T14:47:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.al-sindbad.net\/greek-tanker-damaged-in-mine-explosion-off-saudi-coast\/22194\/"},"modified":"2020-11-26T17:47:19","modified_gmt":"2020-11-26T14:47:19","slug":"greek-tanker-damaged-in-mine-explosion-off-saudi-coast","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.al-sindbad.net\/greek-tanker-damaged-in-mine-explosion-off-saudi-coast\/22194\/","title":{"rendered":"Greek tanker damaged in mine explosion off Saudi coast"},"content":{"rendered":"

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A Malta-flagged tanker sustained hull damages following a mine explosion in the Red Sea, about 125 miles north of Saudi Arabia’s border with Yemen. <\/strong><\/p>\n

At the time of the incident, which took place on 23 November 2020, the 107,000 dwt Agrari was operating at an oil-fired plant in the Port of Al Shuqaiq, Saudi Arabia, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO). Having completed cargo discharge, the ship was preparing to depart.<\/p>\n

The Aframax vessel, able to haul about 700,000 barrels of oil, was holed approximately 1 metre above the waterline, Dryad Global said.<\/p>\n

Images provided by\u00a0Aurora Intel\u00a0indicate damage on the port side of the vessel which\u00a0has resulted in a partial breach of the vessel structure resulting in a limited oil spill.\u00a0 <\/p>\n

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Sat. Imagery from the 23rd Nov. 2020 courtesy of @planetlabs<\/a> and imagery from today courtesy of @AirbusSpace<\/a> \/ @sentinel_hub<\/a> shows the oil spill caused by damage sustained to the Agrari Tanker off the coast of #Saudi<\/a>\/#KSA<\/a> <\/p>\n

Everyone else was releasing imagery, I felt left out! pic.twitter.com\/rcH2eINZVQ<\/a><\/p>\n

— Aurora Intel (@AuroraIntel) November 25, 2020<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

The 2009-built Agrari has been boarded by Saudi authorities and an investigation into the incident has been launched. <\/p>\n

Although Agrari’s operator, Greece-based TMS Tankers, said that the ship was attacked by “an unknown source”<\/em>, the Saudi-led military coalition fighting Houthi rebels in Yemen blamed the rebels for the incident. Unconfirmed sources within the coalition claimed that Houthis launched a water-borne improvised explosive device (WBIED) targeting the tanker.<\/p>\n

“Whether this is the result of deliberate targeting or drifting sea mines remains impossible to say at this stage without further verification however early indications are that this was a deliberate attack commensurate with known targeting and attack methodologies,”<\/em> Dryad Global said.<\/p>\n

This is the second such reported incident in the region since a Greek-owned, Malta-flagged Aframax tanker reported being struck by a sea mine whilst loading at the Rudum Terminal off the Yemeni south coast on 3 October 2020.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Previous incidents within the Red Sea have also involved the Iranian-flagged crude oil tanker MT Sabiti. In 2019, the ship suffered explosions and caught fire following a suspected missile attack.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\tPosted:<\/span> about 1 year ago\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n

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\n\t\t\t\tIranian Tanker Damaged After Explosion off Jeddah
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\n\t\t\tPosted:<\/span> about 1 year ago\n\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

The post Greek tanker damaged in mine explosion off Saudi coast<\/a> appeared first on Offshore Energy<\/a>.<\/p>\n