UAE Authorities Clean Up Oil Spill From Supertanker Off Umm Al Quwain Coast, Beaches Closed

UAE authorities are responding to an oil spill originating from a supertanker in the Arabian Gulf, with the Umm Al Quwain Municipality leading efforts to contain pollution and safeguard marine ecosystems.

The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment reported the incident early Friday morning. According to the ministry, the spill is responsible for a strong fuel-like odour that residents of Dubai and the northern emirates have noticed over the past several days.

The ministry did not identify the vessel involved. However, international maritime agencies have indicated that the Gem No.2, a 330-metre supertanker, was struck in a suspected Iranian drone attack on the night of October 9 to 10. At that time, twenty-two Indian sailors were rescued from the ship.

The full scale of the oil slick remains unknown. The confirmation of the spill comes amid growing concerns about the environmental consequences of the Iran conflict on the Gulf and the Arabian Sea.

Municipal Response and Beach Closures

Umm Al Quwain Municipality stated it is conducting field operations to contain the effects of the spill and minimise harm to marine and coastal environments. As part of these efforts, the municipality will monitor conditions, identify affected areas, and support clean-up and treatment activities. Specialists will also assess the spill’s impact and recommend appropriate measures.

The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment issued a statement saying: “The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment confirms the UAE’s technical monitoring and environmental assessment system detected a tanker oil spill affecting Umm Al Quwain’s beaches. Odours noticed in Sharjah, Ajman and Umm Al Quwain pose no health risks to residents. Teams immediately began containment, cordoning, clean-up and remediation with local and federal authorities to limit environmental impacts. Precautionary coastal surveys, monitoring and assessments continue to gauge impacts and protect the marine environment. With relevant authorities, the ministry has temporarily closed all Umm Al Quwain beaches and coastal areas until technical teams complete assessments and identify safety and marine protection measures. Fishermen and sea users are urged to follow authorities’ instructions and avoid fishing in affected areas.”

The ministry also said there is no health risk from the odour but advised the public to stay away from any oil that washes ashore.

Expert Views on Odour and Oil Spill Behaviour

Dr Diana Francis, associate professor and head of the Environmental and Geophysical Sciences Lab at Khalifa University in Abu Dhabi, commented before the ministry confirmed the oil slick incident that oil spills caused by the regional conflict can generate odours. She told The National: “When an oil spill happens, it continues to move with the currents unless it is removed and cleaned completely. Several spills can also move with the currents and accumulate in favourable gyre [rotating ocean current] areas. Then with time, heat and winds, they evaporate into the air and give off fuel-like odours. Oil doesn’t mix with water. It continues to float until it is removed or evaporate with time.”

Prashant Kumar, professor of air quality and health at the University of Surrey in the UK, also speaking before the ministry’s Friday statement, noted that air pollution and its associated smells can travel long distances. He said: “The smell can travel tens of kilometres. It depends on the meteorological conditions, it depends on the wind speed and the wind direction. You can easily have the longer-range transport of pollutants from one place to another.”

Lessons From Past Spills and Containment Strategies

After it was confirmed that the smell originated from an oil spill, Prof John Burt, director of NYU Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala Arabian Centre for Climate and Environmental Sciences, emphasised that containment is crucial because “prevention is better than cure”. He added: “If floating booms can be put out to contain the spill and collect it before it reaches a coastline, this would be the ideal scenario. Remediation is timely, cost intensive, and full return to normal can take years in the event that a spill reaches a coastline.”

Prof Burt noted that the Gulf War of 1990-91 provided lessons on potential impacts of oil spills in the region. During that conflict, millions of barrels of oil were released in the northern Arabian Gulf. He explained: “Because oil is buoyant and floats, there were minimal impacts on subtidal habitats such as coral reefs and seagrass beds at that time. And as it was volatising to the atmosphere as it drifted down the Gulf, the oil slick back then only made it as far south as Qatar before dispersing fully. That said, where it reached coastlines in the northern Gulf, particularly around Kuwait and northern Saudi Arabia, it caused considerable impacts in the intertidal zones.” In those areas, tar mats formed in beach sands that persisted for years, and there were significant impacts on mangrove areas and mudflats where many birds feed.