Sinking of Rubymar Ship in Red Sea Poses Grave Environmental Risks, Experts Warn

Context:

The waters of the Red Sea are at an ‘environmental risk’ after Belize-flagged, UK-owned bulk carrier Rubymar sank in the southern part of the Sea recently.

Rubymar Ship Attacked by Houthi Rebels finally Sinks

• The Rubymar ship is the first ship to be sunk by the Houthis rebels after they started a campaign to attack global shipping in the Red Sea in November 2023. 

About Red Sea:

• Geographical Extent: It stretches:
  • In the North: Egyptian, Israeli (Port of Eliat) and Jordanian (Port of Aqaba) coasts.
  • In the South: Yemeni, Djiboutian, Eritrean and Somali coasts.
• Connected With: Red Sea connects with the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean through the human-made Suez Canal and to the Gulf of Aden, Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean through the Strait of Bab el Mandeb (‘Gate of Tears’ in Arabic).

Red Sea Map

Distinctive Features of Red Sea: 

• UNESCO Natural Heritage Sites: The Socotra Archipelago, Dungonab Bay and Senganeeb Atoll. 
• Other Archipelagos: Farsan and Dahlak Archipelagos 
• Ecologically-rich Sea: The RSGA (Red Sea and Gulf of Aden) ecosystems supports a rich biological diversity with a distinct high proportion of endemic species. 
• According to PERSGA Reports: About 14.7% Red Sea fishes are of endemic species, which ranks the Red Sea among the top areas of high fish endemism in the world. 
• Fish Families: Around 90% of the Red Sea dottybacks (Pseudochromidae) and triple fins (Tripterygiidae), and 50% of the Red Sea butterfly-fishes (Chaetodontidae). 
• Invertebrates: About 6% of the Red Sea coral, 13% of polycheate, 33% of crinoid, 23% of holothuroid, and 13% of asteroid species.
• High Resilient Corals: The sea’s coral reefs have exhibited relatively higher resilience compared to other parts of the world, where there have been several bleaching incidents and subsequent die-offs.
• A Vital Trade Artery: Connecting Greece, Rome, Syria, the Holy Land and Egypt with India. 

Reason of High Diversity: 

• The Red Sea gets its rich biodiversity due to the flow of nutrient-rich water from the Gulf of Aden through the Bab el Mandeb. 

Arising Concerns: 

• Decline in Fishes: Declining and fluctuating trends are reported for several fisheries, which are mainly linked to degradation of their essential coastal habitats and overfishing.
• Other Major Concerns: They include human population growth; habitat destruction; overexploitation of marine resources; navigation risks and threats of hydrocarbon spills; pollution from urban /industrial/ tourism hotspots; illegal disposal of pollutants by transiting vessels; and the impacts of climate change.
  • The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD): Recently, it had expressed concern over increasing disruptions in global trade caused due to the impact of climate change and war on shipping.

News Source: Down to Earth