ABSTRACT
The floating storage and offloading unit (FSO) SAFER is moored approximately 5 nautical miles off the coast of Yemen where it had been since 1988. Originally built as a single-hulled ultra-large crude carrier (ULCC) in 1976, it was converted to a FSO in 1986 where it received, stored and exported crude oil produced in Yemen. Given the civil conflict in Yemen, leading to the cessation of production and export operations related to FSO SAFER in 2015, an estimated 150,000 MT of crude oil (over 4 times that spilled from the Exxon Valdez) remained onboard. In addition, no inspections or routine maintenance had occurred since 2015, leading to serious concerns about its integrity. In addition to possible structural failure, another risk associated with the FSO was a large release due to an explosion from the build-up of flammable gases within the ship's tanks, as the systems required to pump inert gas into its tanks ceased functioning in 2017.
In 2021, following discussions with the respective parties, the United Nations produced an operational plan to remove the threat by transferring the oil to a safe vessel and installing long-term replacement capacity for SAFER. Implementation of this plan was led by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) with significant support from the International Maritime Organization (IMO), World Food Programme (WFP) and several other UN agencies. Funding was provided by generous donations from the international community including international governments and the private sector.
This paper summarises and presents the phases of the operation and elaborates on the journey that led to the completion of this operation, which included many firsts for the United Nations family. The challenges (including the Covid-19 pandemic and a war in Europe) are outlined and discussed. It outlines the specific technical support provided my IMO from the onset of the initial UN engagement in 2019 through to the finalization of the operation and removal of the threat in 2023.
Beyond the technical aspects of the operation, a number of political, security, logistical and emergency management dimensions required careful coordination and liaison both inside the UN and with external partners, which had direct or indirect implications on the technical aspects from the initiation conceptual phase, through to planning, execution, and ultimate removal of the FSO SAFER, thus removing the grave ecological and humanitarian threat to Yemen.