Abu Dhabi: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) confirmed on Friday that an oil spill from a tanker following an incident in its territorial waters had been contained, and that the necessary measures were taken to mitigate associated risks and safeguard maritime navigation.
The UAE Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure affirmed that specialized technical teams are continuing work to address the tanker's technical issues of the oil tanker (GEM NO. 2), including repairing damaged sections, restoring some operational systems, and assessing the integrity of its structure to determine the most appropriate options for handling it safely.
According to the latest field assessments, no new oil leakage has been detected from the tanker, the ministry said, adding maritime and aerial monitoring operations are continuing, supported by satellite imagery to closely track the situation and identify any developments.
For its part, the UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment affirmed that its technical teams are continuing to address the marine pollution caused by the oil spill, in ongoing coordination with relevant federal and local authorities. Surveying, monitoring and field-cleaning operations are underway in coastal areas affected by the pollution, with public safety remaining a top priority.
The ministry added that, according to the latest satellite monitoring images available as of Friday, the oil slick is concentrated off the coast of Umm Al Qaiwain, extending partially towards coastal areas in Ras Al Khaimah, Ajman and Sharjah.
It confirmed that the observed concentration of pollution has declined significantly, while efforts continue to contain and remediate the effects of the spill, which has been stopped at its source.
