Impact of 'Sounion' incident is a 'case study' for salvors

The long-term environmental impact of the Sounion tanker disaster was at the forefront of the critical salvage operation, according to Ambipar Response, the emergency response division of Ambipar Group, which led the spill response and pollution prevention effort for the stricken 164,000dwt tanker in August 2024.

After being struck by multiple missiles from Yemen-based Houthis militants during a routine transit through the Red Sea, the 2006-built Sounion was left stranded and ablaze for 22 days. Crucially, the incident rendered the onboard cargo of more than 150,000 tons of crude oil at risk of spilling into the Red Sea due to the damage that was sustained to the vessel's structure.

While the coordinated international response effort, which involved multiple salvage specialists and regional security forces, including Ambipar Response, Megatugs Salvage & Towage, EODEX, Ambrey, and the European Union Naval Force (EUNAVFOR), focused on securing the vessel and extinguishing the onboard fires, limiting the environmental impact of the vessel and its cargo on the Red Sea was the leading priority for the salvage effort.

"From the first moment of the salvage operation, we needed to ensure the long-term safety of the regional environment whilst controlling the immediate threats. Despite the complexity of the crisis, there was a clear understanding between the various salvage and firefighting parties involved to ensure that the environmental impact of the Sounion did not reach a worst-case scenario," said the Marine Response lead at Ambipar Response, Martin Barnes.

The threat of continued attacks from Houthi rebels risked more than a million barrels of oil spilling into the Red Sea, potentially resulting in an incident that would be four times the size of the infamous Exxon Valdez disaster in 1989.

An incident of this size in the Red Sea risked completely shutting down the key trade route, impacting desalination plants that would cut off water supplies to millions in the region and causing untold damage to the unique ecology of the Red Sea. While operations of this magnitude remain rare, Barnes also noted the Sounion incident underscored the need for salvage companies to continuously invest in preparedness and readiness for complex maritime crisis, while also advocating for greater awareness and education for all potential parties that could be impacted, such as insurance providers, port operators and vessel owners.