Page 16 - DMEA Week 30 2021

DMEA NEWS IN BRIEF DMEA

FUELS TERMINALS & SHIPPING coalition allocate oils and waste near the
Yemeni coasts, with the systematic aim of
Saudi sets cap on local Abandoned tanker sinks disrupting the ports and affecting the marine
environment,” Al-Zubayri said, warning that
gasoline price for July causing oil spill in Gulf of the oil spill would affect fish, seagrass, and
coral reefs.
Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest oil exporter, Aden “We have approximately 290 fishermen
set a cap on local gasoline prices for July to who are missing due to the systematic
help alleviate rising living costs and boost the Mohammed Amzarba, the head of Aden’s port targeting of fishermen by Saudi-UAE
economy. authority was cited by the official Saba news aggressors,” he added.
Fuel prices will be capped at 2.18 riyals agency on Thursday as saying that the vessel, The sinking of Dia has also reignited pre-
(58.1 cents) per litre for the 91 octane grade, named Dia had started to sink after years existing environmental and humanitarian
and at 2.33 riyals per litre for the 95 octane of being abandoned at the port. Authorities concerns over the abandoned oil tanker, the
variety, effective July 10, according to a decree reportedly tried to tow it using a tugboat 45-year-old FSO Safer vessel which has been
issued by King Salman. before it eventually sank, partly due to a lack anchored near the strategic western Red Sea
Saudi Arabia’s annual inflation accelerated of specialised equipment. port of Al-Hudaydah, which has been under
for the second consecutive month in May, One unnamed source at the port authority blockade by the Saudi-coalition since March
reaching 5.7% compared with 5.3% at the end disclosed that the oil slick had spread along 2015.
of April as the prices of food and beverages the coast for some 20 kilometres. Both the de facto government in Sanaa
and transport rose, according to official One member of the environmental and Riyadh have traded accusations as to who
statistics. rescue committee in Aden, Ahmed Fahim, is ultimately responsible for the fate of the
The government has been working to bring explained that no one had taken “care of the tanker. Last year, a Houthi official announced
domestic fuel prices in line with international maintenance of the tanker, so it sank and that a rescue team had been dispatched to the
levels, part of reforms aimed at easing caused a disaster on the coast.” Adding that Safer to carry out maintenance work.
the burden of subsidies on state finances, dead fish had “washed up on shore.” The UN-recognised government-in-exile
improving energy efficiency and cutting However, according to the Sanaa-based has blamed the Houthi authorities for any
consumption. Yemen Press Agency, the Minister of leaks from the tanker because it’s moored in
Saudi Arabia’s economy shrank 4.1% last Fisheries in the Houthi-aligned government, territory under their control. However, Sanaa
year, but the International Monetary Fund Mohammed Al-Zubayri, accused the has insisted that it is the coalition which
expects real GDP, an inflation-adjusted Saudi-backed international government and should be held accountable as it controls the
measure, to grow 2.1% this year as it recovers the UAE-supported Southern Transitional waters near the vessel and has also prevented
from the pandemic’s impact. Council, who control much of the port city of the Houthis from selling the oil which is still
REUTERS being responsible for the oil spill. on board.
“The ships of the aggressive Saudi-UAE MEMO

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