Oil that spilled from a tanker practice known as ship-to-ship transfer is the prime suspect behind a slick that reached the Fujairah coast on January 26.
That’s according to Tanker Trackers, a pro-bono website that monitors the flow of oil at sea and investigates oil spills.
Ship-to-ship transfers happen when a smaller vessel supplies a larger tanker with oil.
They are common in the global oil trade and usually take place without a problem but oil spills from overflow can happen through negligence or by accident.
Tanker Tackers believe an area in international waters off the coast of Dibba may be the origin for last weekend’s oil spill. It’s known as an anchorage area and can extend into international waters. But because the water was too dark in the images and light clouds that obscured the view, it may be impossible to definitively identify the ships.
"Most of this anchorage … occupies international waters [for transit] where UAE lacks jurisdiction," said Samir Madani, co-founder of Tanker Trackers.
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Read more:
Ministry looking into tackling east coast oil spills, FNC member says
Fourth oil spill in three months hits Fujairah
National Editorial: Deliberate oil spills need to be stopped
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“As in many cases, the cause of the spill could be related to accidents during a ship-to-ship transfer of oil out in the open sea. Given that these transfers happen in waters which at times might be rocky, the smaller vessel might end up causing the spill because it has a lower height than the larger vessel. Our investigation continues as we source in more data.”
Two weeks ago, a spill from one of these transfers happened off the coast of Iraq.
Other causes for spills are tankers illegally cleaning out their hulls, discharging oily water or releasing ballast water - but experts believe these ship-to-ship transfers are more likely to be responsible for oil spills. Water currents circulating to the west can compound the problem.
The issue is in sharp focus again following last week’s spill at Al Aqah, hurting tourism and damaging marine life. Last year, the east coast of the UAE was hit by a series of oil slicks. Local authorities moved swiftly to clean up the area, while the UAE Armed Forces and Coastguard also respond to these incidents.
Salah Al Rayssi is director of the fisheries sustainability department at the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment.
"Dumping waste in the sea raises environmental concerns which is life-threatening on the marine ecosystem in the region. The UAE has enacted laws banning throwing waste and oil sludge into the water by the hundreds of tankers operating in the region," he told The National.
The UAE’s territorial waters extend for 12 nautical miles. And the country has firm penalties in place to deal with offenders. According to Federal Law 24 from 1999, all marine means of transportation are prohibited from discharging or disposing of oil or oil mixture into the marine environment. Penalties include imprisonment and fines of up to a Dh1 million.
“The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment works closely with local authorities, to respond in real-time to oil spill incidents, by overseeing the clean-up of contaminated beaches along the east coast of the UAE, and finding the perpetrators and holding them accountable for their actions.”
Mr Al Rayssi said the ministry is currently working to enhance an oil spill monitoring and detection system which aims to unify the efforts of all federal and local authorities in the country.
The UAE has been tackling the issue for years. Fujairah Port in 2005 reminded tankers that ship to ship transfers in the port area were prohibited, ordering it be done out at sea in this anchorage area because of oil that was reaching the shore from unknown sources.
The UAE, meanwhile, has outperformed all other Gulf and Arab countries and was ranked 28th in the world in the recent Ocean Health Index, a marine assessment survey. The country scored 77 points out of 100, although the global average of the Ocean Health Index requires only 70 points.
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
Sun jukebox
Rufus Thomas, Bear Cat (The Answer to Hound Dog) (1953)
This rip-off of Leiber/Stoller’s early rock stomper brought a lawsuit against Phillips and necessitated Presley’s premature sale to RCA.
Elvis Presley, Mystery Train (1955)
The B-side of Presley’s final single for Sun bops with a drummer-less groove.
Johnny Cash and the Tennessee Two, Folsom Prison Blues (1955)
Originally recorded for Sun, Cash’s signature tune was performed for inmates of the titular prison 13 years later.
Carl Perkins, Blue Suede Shoes (1956)
Within a month of Sun’s February release Elvis had his version out on RCA.
Roy Orbison, Ooby Dooby (1956)
An essential piece of irreverent juvenilia from Orbison.
Jerry Lee Lewis, Great Balls of Fire (1957)
Lee’s trademark anthem is one of the era’s best-remembered – and best-selling – songs.
Results
6.30pm: Maiden Dh165,000 (Dirt) 1,400m. Winner: Rio Angie, Pat Dobbs (jockey), Doug Watson (trainer).
7.05pm: Handicap Dh170,000 (D) 1,600m. Winner: Trenchard, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
7.40pm: Maiden Dh165,000 (D) 1,600m. Winner: Mulfit, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
8.15pm: Handicap Dh210,000 (D) 1,200m. Winner: Waady, Dane O’Neill, Doug Watson.
8.50pm: Handicap Dh210,000 (D) 2,000m. Winner: Tried And True, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
9.25pm:Handicap Dh185,000 (D) 1,400m. Winner: Midnight Sands, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
The Outsider
Stephen King, Penguin
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
What is a robo-adviser?
Robo-advisers use an online sign-up process to gauge an investor’s risk tolerance by feeding information such as their age, income, saving goals and investment history into an algorithm, which then assigns them an investment portfolio, ranging from more conservative to higher risk ones.
These portfolios are made up of exchange traded funds (ETFs) with exposure to indices such as US and global equities, fixed-income products like bonds, though exposure to real estate, commodity ETFs or gold is also possible.
Investing in ETFs allows robo-advisers to offer fees far lower than traditional investments, such as actively managed mutual funds bought through a bank or broker. Investors can buy ETFs directly via a brokerage, but with robo-advisers they benefit from investment portfolios matched to their risk tolerance as well as being user friendly.
Many robo-advisers charge what are called wrap fees, meaning there are no additional fees such as subscription or withdrawal fees, success fees or fees for rebalancing.
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
Tips to keep your car cool
- Place a sun reflector in your windshield when not driving
- Park in shaded or covered areas
- Add tint to windows
- Wrap your car to change the exterior colour
- Pick light interiors - choose colours such as beige and cream for seats and dashboard furniture
- Avoid leather interiors as these absorb more heat
Schedule:
Friday, January 12: Six fourball matches
Saturday, January 13: Six foursome (alternate shot) matches
Sunday, January 14: 12 singles
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, (Leon banned).
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
