Latest news with #ADALYNN
Deccan Herald
2 days ago
- Science
- Deccan Herald
Oil spills call for new response
Following accidents involving the Liberian vessel MSC ELSA 3 and the Singaporean container MV Wan Hai 503, both along Kerala's coast, the Arabian Sea's vulnerability to marine transit hazards was further exposed when oil tankers ADALYNN and Front Eagle collided near the Strait of Hormuz on June 17, sparking massive fires. These back-to-back incidents underscore a critical reality: as India's maritime traffic surges, so does its exposure to oil spills that demand immediate policy intervention and technological response to such incidents demonstrates both India's maritime monitoring capabilities and critical gaps that threaten long-term coastal security. The Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS), Indian Coast Guard (ICG), and Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) coordinated effectively to monitor the oil slick and implement containment measures soon after the sinking of the Liberian vessel. CMFRI's ongoing coastal surveys following the accidents can be extremely useful for disaster management by the country's coastal and oil spill advisory issued after fire on container ship off Kerala EOS-04 satellite provided spatial images, using Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) sensors capable of monitoring oil spills regardless of lighting or weather. However, this reliance on a primarily Earth observation satellite highlights a concerning gap in India's dedicated ocean monitoring infrastructure. The dependence on multi-purpose satellites creates potential conflicts between monitoring priorities and limits specialised maritime surveillance current oil spill trajectory modelling relies on adapted versions of the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)'s General NOAA Operational Modelling Environment (GNOME) tool. These generalised international models using broad parameters and spatial data of coarse resolutions might struggle with India's unique peninsular coastline, without localised data inputs and specialised algorithms to predict oil spill behaviour. These limitations become pronounced during monsoon periods, when tropical ocean patterns dramatically alter, necessitating a region-specific technology deployment. More critically, the sensors can only detect oil presence or absence, not its types – information crucial for determining appropriate response spills create cascading impacts across sectors and environmental damage beyond visible contamination – from marine biodiversity to coastal economy, from health impact on coastal communities to losses in the energy sector. Yet these impacts rarely factor into policy well in Assam capped after 16 days of gas leakage: most concerning is the absence of comprehensive regulatory frameworks governing maritime pollution incidents. The absence of mandatory state-level oil spill contingency plans for vessels transiting Indian waters represents a significant policy gap. The State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) also lacks independent capacity including boats and satellite data, enhancing dependencies on central to National Oil Spill Disaster Contingency Plan, last updated in 2014, suffers from weak enforcement mechanisms and fragmented institutional oversight. The divided but overlapping authority between ICG, Pollution Control Boards, port authorities, and Directorate General of Shipping creates coordination challenges leading to delays in legal action against polluters. The tiered response structure also creates bureaucratic bottlenecks during major recent incidents highlight the need to focus on addressing India's maritime vulnerability that requires dedicated technological infrastructure designed for ocean monitoring. Deploying satellites with advanced sensors capable of oil type identification would enable real-time characterisation of pollutants, allowing immediate deployment of appropriate response technologies. These sensors, already available, could transform response effectiveness from generic containment to targeted and decentralised geospatial dashboards integrating real-time satellite data, weather information, vessel tracking, and response resource locations would provide comprehensive situational awareness. Enhanced inter-agency coordination between state disaster management authorities and national agencies like INCOIS and ICG requires structured training programmes and regular joint exercises. Rather than expecting universal expertise, shared capacity-building can enable seamless coordination during emergencies. Regular interactive training exercises in the state's specific geographic conditions would identify operational gaps and improve response Kerala chapter shows that the maritime future of Indian coastal states depends on transforming reactive crisis management into proactive risk prevention. This requires immediate investments in dedicated ocean monitoring satellites, comprehensive regulatory frameworks with robust accountability measures, and integrated response systems designed specifically for India's tropical coastal environment. The technology exists – what's needed is commitment to implement comprehensive maritime ecological safeguards before the next inevitable spill tests India's resilience..(The writer is a research analyst at the Takshashila Institution)
Yahoo
22-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Nearly 1,000 ships see GPS jams near Iran coast, group says
Nearly 1,000 ships have experienced 'persistent and sometimes severe' GPS signal jams every day the past week near Iran as the country continues to face bombardment from Israel's military, a French naval monitoring firm warned Friday. The Maritime Information, Cooperation and Awareness (MICA) Center wrote in a post on the social platform X that the situation 'makes it harder to navigate safely at night, in poor visibility and/or when traffic density is heavy.' '[It] also can lead to accidental situations,' the group wrote. The MICA Center said it's possible the GPS issue may have contributed to the recent collision of two giant tankers, ADALYNN and Front Eagle, in the Gulf of Oman near the United Arab Emirates, but the organization cautioned that the crash remains under investigation. Israel and Iran have been exchanging strikes for the past week, after Israel launched a surprise attack against Iran's nuclear facilities and military sites. The MICA center noted that maritime trade was not being targeted in an analysis of the military conflict's impact on Wednesday. 'In spite of the media narrative of a potential blockade … there is no information pointing towards a blockade,' the group wrote. It urged ships to avoid Iranian territorial waters and be aware of potential GPS jamming. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
20-06-2025
- Business
- The Hill
Nearly 1,000 ships see GPS jams near Iran coast, group says
Nearly 1,000 ships have experienced 'persistent and sometimes severe' GPS signal jams every day the past week near Iran as the country continues to face bombardment from Israel's military, a French naval monitoring firm warned Friday. The Maritime Information, Cooperation and Awareness (MICA) Center wrote in a post on the social platform X that the situation 'makes it harder to navigate safely at night, in poor visibility and/or when traffic density is heavy.' '(It) also can lead to accidental situations,' the group wrote. MICA said it's possible that the GPS issue may have contributed to the recent collision of two giant tankers, ADALYNN and Front Eagle, in the Gulf of Oman near the United Arab Emirates, but the organization cautioned that crash remains under investigation. Israel and Iran have been exchanging strikes for the past week, after Israel launched a surprise attack against Iran's nuclear facilities and military sites. MICA noted that maritime trade was not being targeted in an analysis of the military conflict's impact on Wednesday. 'In spite of the media narrative of a potential blockade … there is no information pointing towards a blockade,' the group wrote. It urged ships to avoid Iranian territorial waters and be aware of potential GPS jamming.
19-06-2025
- General
Greenpeace warns of potential environmental disaster as oil tankers collide near Strait of Hormuz
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates -- A collision between two oil tankers just east of the world's most critical oil choke point, the Strait of Hormuz, could bring about a potential environmental disaster, Greenpeace said on Thursday. The two giant tankers, ADALYNN and Front Eagle, crashed Tuesday in the Gulf of Oman and caught fire before the Emirati national guard intervened to evacuate crew members. No injuries were reported, according to Emirati authorities. Satellite data from NASA's Fire Information for Resource Management System showed heat signatures in the area early Tuesday morning. Greenpeace said it had reviewed satellite imagery that showed a plume of oil stretching up to about 1,500 hectares (3,700 acres) from the crash site. The 23-year-old tanker ADALYNN belonged to a so-called Russian 'shadow fleet' – known to operate older ships below basic security standards – and may have been carrying around 70,000 tons of crude oil, the group said. 'This is just one of many dangerous incidents to take place in the past years,' said Farah Al Hattab of Greenpeace's Middle East and North Africa division, adding that such oil spills "endanger marine life.' The United Arab Emirates Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure did not respond to a request for comment. It was not immediately clear what caused Tuesday's incident. British maritime security firm Ambrey said it was unrelated to fighting between Israel and nearby Iran. The Strait of Hormuz, near where the collision took place, is the strategic maritime entryway to the Persian Gulf and sees about a fifth of the world's oil pass through it, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. In 2024, an average of 20 million barrels of oil traveled through it daily. After Israel launched airstrikes against Iran on June 13, oil prices surged as worry mounted over whether the Islamic Republic might block the waterway. Maritime ship experts say shipowners are increasingly wary of using the waterway, with some ships having tightened security and others canceling routes there. As the Israel-Iran conflict intensified over the weekend, hundreds of ships in the strait saw spotty navigation signals and had to rely more on radar. The Financial Times reported on June 13 that the world's largest publicly listed oil tanker company, Frontline – which owns the Front Eagle oil tanker involved in Tuesday's crash – said it would turn down new contracts to sail into the Gulf through the Strait of Hormuz.
Yahoo
19-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Greenpeace warns of potential environmental disaster as oil tankers collide near Strait of Hormuz
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A collision between two oil tankers just east of the world's most critical oil choke point, the Strait of Hormuz, could bring about a potential environmental disaster, Greenpeace said on Thursday. The two giant tankers, ADALYNN and Front Eagle, crashed Tuesday in the Gulf of Oman and caught fire before the Emirati national guard intervened to evacuate crew members. No injuries were reported, according to Emirati authorities. Satellite data from NASA's Fire Information for Resource Management System showed heat signatures in the area early Tuesday morning. Greenpeace said it had reviewed satellite imagery that showed a plume of oil stretching up to about 1,500 hectares (3,700 acres) from the crash site. The 23-year-old tanker ADALYNN belonged to a so-called Russian 'shadow fleet' – known to operate older ships below basic security standards – and may have been carrying around 70,000 tons of crude oil, the group said. 'This is just one of many dangerous incidents to take place in the past years,' said Farah Al Hattab of Greenpeace's Middle East and North Africa division, adding that such oil spills "endanger marine life.' The United Arab Emirates Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure did not respond to a request for comment. It was not immediately clear what caused Tuesday's incident. British maritime security firm Ambrey said it was unrelated to fighting between Israel and nearby Iran. The Strait of Hormuz, near where the collision took place, is the strategic maritime entryway to the Persian Gulf and sees about a fifth of the world's oil pass through it, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. In 2024, an average of 20 million barrels of oil traveled through it daily. After Israel launched airstrikes against Iran on June 13, oil prices surged as worry mounted over whether the Islamic Republic might block the waterway. Maritime ship experts say shipowners are increasingly wary of using the waterway, with some ships having tightened security and others canceling routes there. As the Israel-Iran conflict intensified over the weekend, hundreds of ships in the strait saw spotty navigation signals and had to rely more on radar. The Financial Times reported on June 13 that the world's largest publicly listed oil tanker company, Frontline – which owns the Front Eagle oil tanker involved in Tuesday's crash – said it would turn down new contracts to sail into the Gulf through the Strait of Hormuz.
