Sinking of Rubymar threatens ecological disaster in the Red Sea

The Rubymar was hit by a Houthi missile on 18 February, resulting in an oil spill more than 40 kilometres long in the waters of the Red Sea. For several days, the fate of the vessel, which was abandoned by the crew after the attack by Yemeni rebels, was unknown. Now it is known that the ship sank, and the media published a recording showing the sinking vessel.

In addition to the sunken fertilizers, significant amounts of fuel also leaked from the ship. The website TankerTrackers stated that it will cause "an ecological disaster on (Yemeni) territorial waters and in the Red Sea".

Ian Ralby, founder of the maritime security firm I.R. Consilium, claims that the potential disaster will be exacerbated by the Red Sea's unique natural features, in which water moves north towards the Suez Canal in the winter and outward to the Gulf of Aden in the summer. "As a result, what spills in the Red Sea, stays in the Red Sea," Ralby told the AP agency.

Saudi Arabia has been desalinating seawater drawn from the Red Sea for decades. Nearly all the drinking water in many cities is obtained from desalination plants. The spilled fuel can clog the devices and cause them to malfunction.

The Red Sea is also an important source of seafood, especially in Yemen, where before the current civil war between the Iran-backed Houthi rebels and the Sunni government, fishing was the second largest export industry after oil.

While the amount of oil that leaked from the Rubymar is not known, Ralby estimates that it could not have exceeded 10,600 barrels. This is more than the amount that leaked four years ago from the ship Wakashio, which crashed near Mauritius, causing multi-million dollar damage and worsening the living conditions of thousands of fishermen.

No one has yet assessed the risk associated with the sunken fertilizers, but the worst-case scenario would be their sudden release into the water. Fertilizers fuel the growth of algal blooms, resulting in the loss of oxygen and the creation of so-called "dead zones". Thus, some of the world's most colourful and extensive coral reefs, intensively studied by scientists for their resistance to rising water temperatures, may be at risk.

Since last November Houthis have been attacking commercial ships, which they claim are associated with Israel, the USA, and Great Britain. Houthis claim they act in solidarity with the terrorist organization Hamas in the Gaza Strip. In response to the attacks, the United States formed multinational forces in December to protect maritime traffic on the strategic waterway.

Since the beginning of the attacks, Houthis have fired over 45 missiles at ships passing through the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. Most of the missiles were intercepted by coalition forces, but some of them hit their targets, damaging ships.

Ships have started avoiding the shortest route from Asia to Europe, which goes from the Indian Ocean to the Red Sea and through the Suez Canal to the Mediterranean Sea. Instead, they choose a route that is nearly 6,000 miles longer around Africa. This affects logistics and supply chains.