UAE names damaged tanker as GEM NO. 2 and says its oil leak has been stopped at the source

UAE authorities have named the oil tanker at the centre of the spill on the country’s northern coast as GEM NO. 2 and said the leak has been stopped at its source, with no new leakage detected.

The statement was issued by the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment and the National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority (NCEMA), and carried by the state news agency WAM at 3:19pm GMT on Friday 30 October. In our earlier report, the authorities had not yet named the vessel.

What the ministries said

The environment ministry said the spill “has been stopped at its source”. The energy ministry said the latest field assessments had detected no new oil leakage from the tanker, and that maritime and aerial monitoring, supported by satellite imagery, was continuing.

Specialised technical teams are repairing damaged sections of GEM NO. 2, restoring some of its operational systems and assessing the integrity of its structure to decide how to handle the vessel safely, the energy ministry said.

The environment ministry said satellite images available as of Friday showed the slick concentrated off the coast of Umm Al Quwain, extending partly towards coastal areas in Ras Al Khaimah, Ajman and Sharjah. It said the observed concentration of pollution had “declined significantly”.

Clean-up relies mainly on mechanical recovery, alongside chemical dispersants used in line with international standards and approved technical guidelines, the ministry said. Surveying, monitoring and field-cleaning work is under way along affected coastlines.

Beaches, food and water

The ministry said the temporary closure of a number of beaches and coastal areas is a precaution and does not necessarily mean pollution has been found at every closed location. It said fish and food products in local markets remain safe to eat, and that authorities are monitoring air quality.

Etihad Water and Electricity said it is monitoring seawater quality at intake points and testing drinking water before it enters the network, and that the measures will not affect supplies to consumers.

What has not been said

The statement did not say what caused the leak or how much oil was spilled. Reuters reported that shipping sources had told it the vessel was struck by a projectile on 9 October, causing a fire that was later put out. The National has reported that GEM NO. 2 was hit in a suspected Iranian drone attack on 9 or 10 October and that 22 Indian sailors were rescued from the ship.

The National reported that beaches in Umm Al Quwain, Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah have been temporarily closed as a precaution. Gulf News reported that no reopening dates have been announced for Umm Al Quwain or Ras Al Khaimah.

The authorities said they would keep the public informed through official channels.

Background: UAE closes beaches in three emirates as tanker oil spill reaches Umm Al Quwain coast.