In a significant maritime incident, the Yemeni government announced today that the cargo ship “Rubimar,” targeted by the Houthis last month, has sunk in the Red Sea, raising alarms over a potential environmental catastrophe.
The vessel, flying the flag of Belize and managed by Lebanon’s GMZ Ship Management for the UK-based Golden Adventure Shipping S.A, was built in 1997 by Japan’s Onomichi company.
Participating in the 2022 Black Sea Grain Initiative, “Rubimar” was a substantial ship, measuring 171 meters in length and 27 meters in width, powered by Mitsubishi engines producing 7059 kilowatts.
Previously named “Ken Shin” in 2007, “Chatham Island” in 2009, and “Ikaria Island” in 2020, it was rebranded as “Rubimar” before its unfortunate demise.
In 2022, “Rubimar” played a crucial role in the Black Sea Grain Initiative, transporting 35,000 tons of wheat from Ukraine to Egypt amidst the Russian military operations in Ukraine.
The Houthi targeting of this British ship on February 19 led to an oil spill extending 18 miles in the Red Sea, with concerns also rising about the leakage of hazardous materials from the ship’s cargo, which included 21,999 metric tons of highly dangerous Class 5.1 fertilizers, as per the International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) Code.
This category encompasses ammonium nitrate and products containing it, which, in large, unsecured quantities, led to the catastrophic explosion in Beirut’s port on August 4, 2020, claiming over 220 lives.
