Operation to transfer crude oil cargo from Houthi-hit tanker ‘Sounion’ underway in Suez

An operation to transfer approximately 150,000 tonnes of crude oil from the Greek-flagged suezmax tanker “Sounion”, using portable means, to the tanker “delta blue” has begun at a safe anchorage point in the port of Suez, where the tanker arrived on October 30.
According to shipping ministry sources, the operation began on Thursday and is being carried out by a salvage crew on the tugboat “Aigaion Pelagos”. It is expected to last between three to four weeks.
The tanker and its cargo had been on fire for roughly seven weeks, since the ship was hit by Houthi rebels in the Red Sea. The 20 fires on board as a result of explosions triggered by the Houthis have now been successfully and fully extinguished by the “Aigaion Pelagos” crew.
The same sources noted that the goal is to secure the ship and its stability, as it does not have its own mechanical means and the hull plates have been stressed by the fires on the deck, following the explosions.
The tanker was hit in a drone attack on August 21 and its 25-member crew (23 Filipinos and two Russians), were transferred to a French Navy vessel and taken to a safety in Djibouti the following day.
The ship was then boarded by Houthi rebels who detonated explosive charges on the vessel.