- The MV Rubymar, a cargo ship carrying about 21,000 metric tons of ammonium phosphate sulfate fertilizer, has sunk in the Red Sea following an attack by Yemen’s Houthi rebels, raising fears of an environmental disaster.
- In addition to the fertilizer potentially entering the ocean, the vessel is also leaking heavy fuel, which experts say will impact the marine environment.
- The Red Sea is known to harbor some of the world’s most heat-resistant coral reefs, which makes the sinking of the Rubymar particularly concerning.
A vessel carrying thousands of tons of fertilizer has sunk in the Red Sea, raising fears of an environmental disaster in a part of the ocean known to harbor some of the world’s most heat-resistant coral reefs.
On March 2, the MV Rubymar, a Belize-flagged but U.K.-owned cargo ship, sank into the Red Sea after being attacked by Yemen’s Houthi rebels on Feb. 18.
The Houthis, an Iran-aligned group in Yemen, have been targeting vessels in the Red Sea in response to Israel’s offensive on Gaza. Data suggest that since Nov. 19, the group has attacked at least 40 vessels.
The vessel was reportedly carrying about 21,000 metric tons of ammonium phosphate sulfate fertilizer, which experts say could cause detrimental effects to the marine environment. Shortly after the attack, the vessel also began leaking heavy fuel, leaving a 30-kilometer (18-mile) long oil slick in the water.
On Feb. 19, the the Djibouti Ports and Free Zones Authority successfully rescued the Rubymar’s captain and crew. The authority said in a statement that the fertilizer on board the vessel was “very dangerous.”
Julien Jreissati, the program director at Greenpeace MENA (Middle East and North Africa), said that without immediate action, the situation would likely escalate into a “major environmental crisis.”
“As well as any further leaks of fuel oil from the engines, the sinking of the vessel could further breach the hull, allowing water to contact with the thousands of tonnes of fertilizer, which could then be released into the Red Sea and disrupt the balance of the marine ecosystems, triggering cascading effects throughout the food web,” Jreissati said in a statement. “This disruption could have far-reaching consequences, affecting various species that depend on these ecosystems and, in turn, potentially impacting the very livelihoods of coastal communities.”
Jreissati said it was “imperative” for an expert response team to get immediate access to the shipwreck site to “assess the situation and swiftly devise and implement an emergency plan.”
Ian Ralby, founder of the maritime security firm I.R. Consilium, has suggested that the circular current patterns in the Red Sea have made this incident of particular concern.
“What spills in the Red Sea, stays in the Red Sea,” Ralby told The Associated Press. “There are many ways it can be harmed.”
The Red Sea is known to harbor some of the world’s most heat-resistant coral reefs. In Jordan’s Gulf of Aqaba, in the northern part of the Red Sea, scientists have found that corals here are able to sustain a temperature rise of 5-6° Celsius (9-10.8° Fahrenheit). Experts believe that the resilience of these corals could help coral reef systems survive into the future if global warming continues to accelerate.
This isn’t the first time the Red Sea has been on the brink of environmental disaster. In 2021, experts raised the alarm about a deteriorating oil tanker anchored off Yemen, which was holding more than a million barrels of Marib light crude oil. Due to years of neglect, the tanker’s structural integrity was breaking down, and environmentalists feared a catastrophic oil spill. However, an international effort led by the U.N. eventually helped avert disaster.
What will happen with the Rubymar largely depends on whether the ship remains intact underwater. If it does stay together, Ralby said he believes the fertilizer will be released slowly rather than all at once.
Ali Al-Sawalmih, director of the Marine Science Station at the University of Jordan, said the fertilizer’s release into the Red Sea could stimulate the growth of algae, using up oxygen that other marine life depends upon. He also called for immediate action to mitigate the damage caused by the cargo ship sinking.
“Countries of the Red Sea should adopt an urgent plan to establish a monitoring agenda for the polluted areas and adopt a cleanup strategy,” Al-Sawalmih said.
Banner image caption: The Rubymar cargo ship in a German port in 2019. Image by Bernd Meier / VesselFinder.
Elizabeth Claire Alberts is a senior staff writer for Mongabay’s Ocean Desk. Follow her on Mastodon, @[email protected], Blue Sky, @elizabethalberts.bsky.social, and Twitter @ECAlberts.
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