United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator for Yemen David Gressley announced: “We have received enough promises and commitments to launch an emergency operation to salvage the Safer oil tanker off the coast of Yemen,” explaining that “the total amount of these pledges and commitments ranges between 77 and 78 million “dollars”.

The rescue of the oil tanker was divided into two phases: the first, at a cost of $75 million, during which the oil stored on the tanker will be transferred to another vessel, and the second, estimated at $38 million, during which a permanent solution will be provided to store the oil recovered from a tanker.

At a press conference, Grisley indicated that “the international organization has called on donors to fulfill these pledges and commitments as soon as possible,” noting that “most of these funds ($59 million) have already been disbursed.”

The UN representative expressed his hope that the funds needed to complete the second phase would be received “within a reasonable time frame”.

The Safer is a 45-year-old floating storage vessel loaded with approximately 1.1 million barrels of crude oil miles off the coast of Yemen.

The United Nations warns that “the oil spill will destroy the ecosystems of the Red Sea, hit the fishing sector in the region and close the most famous port of Hodeidah, which is a vital artery for Yemen.”