The United Nations announced today that the process of transferring oil from the decaying Safer tanker is in its final stages with more than 70% of the oil being unloaded to the replacement ship. 

"Today, 71% of the Safer tanker's oil (824,179 barrels) has been transported," said Achim Steiner, director of the United Nations Development Programme.

"With every barrel of oil pumped off the Safer tanker, Yemeni fishermen and communities' future is more secure," he added. 

The UN operation to avert an environmental disaster of oil leakage into the sea is in its final stages, the official concluded.

Today 71% of the #FSOSafer oil (824 179 barrels) is transferred.@UNDP’s commitment is to work 24/7 to protect life and livelihoods. W/every barrel of oil pumped off the #FSOSafer Yemeni fishermen & communities future is more assured.@UN #StopRedSeaSpill is in its final stage. pic.twitter.com/rIpuwf8ckw

— Achim Steiner (@ASteiner) August 5, 2023

Back in mid-July, the Nautica, a UN-owned ship, arrived off the coast Yemen to pump more than a million barrels of oil from the FSO Safer, a Yemeni tanker, to prevent an oil spill. 

The United Nations purchased 1.14 million barrels of oil to avert an environmental disaster. 

The Safer was decaying and maintenance operations were halted in 2015 amid the war on Yemen and obstructions caused by the blockade; the UNDP has warned for years that a catastrophe might "explode at any time."

Read more: UN hands Yemen vessel to transfer oil from FSO Safer tanker