Greek-Flagged Tanker Sounion on Fire in Red Sea

By Ahmed Elimam, Nur-Azna Sanusi and Adam Makary
(Reuters) – The Greek-flagged crude oil tanker Sounion has been on fire in the Red Sea since Aug. 23 after an attack by Yemen’s Houthis with no obvious signs of an oil spill, according to the EU Red Sea naval mission Aspides in a post on X on Monday.

The EU mission published photos dated Sunday showing fire and smoke emerging from the vessel’s main deck. Reuters has verified the authenticity of a Houthi video showcasing a fiery assault on the ship.

The Sounion is carrying 150,000 tonnes of crude oil, presenting an environmental hazard, shipping officials stated. Aspides reported that part of the Sounion’s superstructure was aflame, with flames observed in at least five locations on the vessel’s main deck. If a spill occurs, it could be among the largest from a ship in recorded history.

Lars Jensen, CEO of Vespucci Maritime, mentioned in a recent LinkedIn post that the vessel is carrying over 1 million barrels of oil. He noted that attacks from the Houthis complicate the deployment of vessels necessary for mitigation and cleanup in the event of a spill.

The Houthis, who control Yemen’s most populous regions, have reportedly attacked ships in support of the Palestinians amid the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. The Iran-aligned rebels have sunk two ships and killed at least three crew members during their 10-month campaign, which has disrupted global ocean shipping by compelling vessel owners to avoid the Suez Canal shortcut.

The Sounion is the third vessel operated by Athens-based Delta Tankers to face Houthi attacks this month. The militants claimed that Delta Tankers had violated their ban on “entry to the ports of occupied Palestine.”