UN: Cost is new obstacle to oil transfer from Yemen tanker

By EDITH M. LEDERER
Associated Press

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The United Nations says the rising cost of purchasing or leasing a vessel that can hold more than 1 million barrels of crude oil now in a rusting old tanker off the coast of war-torn Yemen is the latest obstacle to resolving the threat of massive environmental damage from a possible oil spill or explosion. U.N. deputy spokesman Farhan Haq said the availability of very large crude oil tankers “has decreased in the past six months, basically due to events having to do with the war in Ukraine.” He said buying a carrier is now about 50% more costly than the original U.N. budget and leasing is also more expensive.