Shadow Fleet Tanker Caroline Bezengi Still Leaking Off Oman

Grounded Tanker Remains in Limbo Off Omani Coast

According to a report by The Maritime Executive, the sanctioned tanker Caroline Bezengi (IMO 9224439) continues to leak oil while stranded on rocks near Jazirat Al Qibliyyah, part of Oman’s Hallaniyat Islands, more than two months after an explosion first disabled the vessel. As of the latest reporting, salvage consultancy Ambrey — the firm overseeing recovery efforts — had not issued updated public statements or responded to information requests, leaving the operation’s status largely dependent on satellite observation.

Timeline of the Incident

The vessel suffered an explosion on June 8 off the Omani coast, shortly after exiting the Maritime Security Transit Corridor following a Suez Canal transit completed on May 30. All crew members were safely evacuated roughly four days later, with no reported injuries. The ship had been carrying crude loaded at Novorossiysk, bound for Gujarat, India, when the blast occurred. It has remained beached since approximately June 23.

Caroline Bezengi is identified as part of the so-called Russian shadow fleet and is under sanctions from the EU, UK, and US Treasury’s OFAC. The tanker has previous ties to Russian state-owned operator Sovcomflot, a detail that adds geopolitical sensitivity to an already technically difficult salvage situation.

Ambrey’s Role and Prior Track Record

Ambrey has been tasked with coordinating the overall response: assessing whether cargo can be lightered off the stricken vessel, determining if refloating and recovery is feasible, and preparing a contingency oil-spill cleanup operation should the hull fail. Notably, Ambrey only achieved full membership in the International Salvage Union this past May, yet the firm previously led the complex rescue of the Greek-flagged tanker Sounion in the Red Sea in August 2024, after it came under sustained Houthi attack. In that earlier case, Ambrey’s team reboarded a burning vessel under threat, towed it to safety, and recovered the bulk of its cargo — averting a major environmental incident.

What Satellite Imagery Shows

With no on-the-ground updates available, satellite imagery captured August 22 suggests the Caroline Bezengi may be settling deeper into the water, with possible hull deformation, though the oil leak volume does not appear to have grown substantially. On that day, the escaping oil plume was pushed eastward into the North Arabian Sea by prevailing southwesterly winds, which has reduced the amount of oil reaching shore near Ras Madrakah. No salvage vessels were visible in the imagery, either at the wreck site or at the Halliniyat harbor that Ambrey reportedly intended to use as a staging base.

Weather Delays Compound the Risk

Conditions in the area remain hostile for salvage work, with wind speeds averaging around 16 m/s and gusting to 26 m/s, alongside wave heights exceeding 10 feet — a pattern expected to persist for at least another week. Such sea states make any attempt at lightering or rebalancing the cargo extremely dangerous. Salvors are reportedly hoping the wreck holds together without further leakage until the Khareef monsoon season eases, though medium-term forecasts do not yet show signs of improving weather.

Operational Takeaways for Owners and Managers

This case is a pointed reminder of how quickly a casualty involving an aging or opaque-ownership tanker can escalate into a prolonged environmental and liability exposure, particularly when sanctions complicate access to insurance, technical support, and transparent reporting. For ship managers and charterers, it underscores the value of rigorous vetting and condition assessment before fixing cargoes on vessels with uncertain maintenance histories or sanctioned ownership structures. Independent condition surveys and pre-fixture inspections remain one of the few practical tools available to identify structural or operational red flags before a vessel becomes a stranded liability — a lesson this incident reinforces as the Caroline Bezengi sits exposed to worsening monsoon conditions with no clear resolution in sight.