By Catherine Cartier and Jonathan Saul
July 17 (Reuters) – A vessel under sanctions for transporting Russian fuel is probably leaking oil in a protected marine area off Oman’s coast, according to satellite imagery analysis and experts.
The Caroline Bezengi loaded Russian oil in Novorossiysk before beginning its latest voyage. Ship‑tracking data show the tanker last transmitted a signal on public AIS off Yemen on 11 June.
The ship’s owner, listed in shipping databases as Shanghai‑based Rentoor Shipmanagement, could not be reached for comment. The Oman Maritime Security Centre and Oman’s Environment Authority also did not reply.
Imagery from the Copernicus Sentinel‑1 and Sentinel‑2 satellites captured a silvery‑grey slick in a cove south‑west of al‑Qibliyyah island between 2 and 13 July, indicating a likely spill.
Three independent specialists – John Amos of SkyTruth, Leon Moreland of the Conflict and Environment Observatory, and Louis Goddard of Data Desk – told Reuters the satellite pictures appeared to show an oil spill.
Reuters reviewed a video that showed the Caroline Bezengi off al‑Qibliyyah island; the exact date of the footage could not be confirmed.
Russia relies on ageing, often poorly maintained tankers as part of its “shadow fleet” to bypass Western sanctions on Russian oil exports. The cause of the leak is unclear and could stem from a malfunction, damage from a possible attack by Ukraine, which has targeted Russian‑linked tankers, or from the broader U.S.–Iran tension in the Gulf.
The tanker first reported difficulties on 8 June off the southern Yemeni port of Mukalla, according to two maritime‑security sources. One of them confirmed the spill, but the underlying problem remains unknown.
The vessel is sanctioned by the European Union and the United Kingdom for its role in carrying Russian fuels.
