Oil Tanker Sounion Transits Suez Canal After Being Attacked By Houthis Last year

Image Credits: EUNAVFOR ASPIDES/X
The Greek-registered oil tanker Sounion has successfully transited Egypt’s Suez Canal, following a complex and high-risk salvage operation after being severely damaged by Houthi attacks in the Red Sea last year.

The vessel, carrying approximately 1 million barrels of crude oil, suffered multiple missile strikes and explosions.

On August 21, 2024, the Houthi militants launched anti-ship missiles at the 274 meter long (899 foot) tanker while it was sailing northbound in the Red Sea.

The attack disabled critical control systems, leaving the vessel stranded. A French frigate in the region responded swiftly, evacuating all 29 crew members before further escalation.

Just two days later, the situation worsened. Houthi rebels boarded the abandoned vessel, planting and detonating explosives on the bridge and main decks, causing over a dozen fires and major structural damage.

The explosions also led to flooding in the engine room. The US State Department warned that if the tanker broke apart or exploded, it could cause an oil spill larger than the 1989 Exxon Valdez disaster, which remains one of the worst environmental catastrophes in history.

An urgent international salvage operation was launched given the risk of an oil spill. The Sounion remained within Houthi strike range, making the effort exceptionally dangerous.

The priority was clearing unexploded ordnance, requiring the deployment of explosive ordnance disposal teams before any salvage work could begin.

Specialists from around the world, including firefighting and towing experts, were mobilised under expedited diplomatic clearances.

Salvage tug from Greece and other support vessels arrived at the scene, working under the protection of European Union naval forces.

By mid-September 2024, a salvage flotilla, including three EUNAVFOR naval ships and air support, managed to tow the Sounion 150 miles north to a safer location, where extensive firefighting operations continued for three more weeks.

Once the flames were extinguished, the crew worked to stabilise the tanker, patch the cargo tanks, and inert the vessel to prevent further hazards.

By early October 2024, the tanker was finally towed to Suez, where specialists safely offloaded its entire cargo of crude oil. This massive operation involved over 200 experts from Megatugs Salvage & Towage, Diaplous, Offmain, Fire Aid, Pro Liquid, and Ambipar Response.

The Suez Canal Authority (SCA) took over once the vessel reached Egyptian waters, overseeing the complex task of guiding the heavily damaged tanker through the canal.

Since the Sounion had no steering control, towing had to be carefully coordinated over several weeks.

The massive anchor handler Aigaion Pelagos, operated by Megatugs of Greece, was assigned to tow the tanker, while four powerful tugboats from the SCA-Baraka, Mohamed Bashir, Suez 1, and Suez 2, were positioned to assist with maneuvering.

The Suez 2 tug was attached at the stern to act as a rudder, compensating for the vessel’s lack of control. The transit began on March 8, 2025, and took approximately 24 hours, progressing in carefully coordinated stages.

The tanker paused at Great Bitter Lake, allowing southbound traffic to pass. The operation also required multiple pilot changes, with 13 canal pilots involved in navigating the tanker through the waterway.

By March 10, 2024, the Sounion reached the northern terminus of the Suez Canal, marking the successful completion of this high-stakes operation.

The Suez Canal Authority carefully supervised the offloading of the tanker’s crude oil to prevent any risk of spillage before its canal transit. The authority’s pollution control vessel, Kasht 2, was positioned nearby throughout the process, ready to respond in case of an emergency.

The offloading operation, which lasted nearly a month, was managed by Ambrey and Mega Tugs. The cargo was transferred in December 2024, ensuring the safe removal of 150,000 tons of crude oil before the damaged tanker was moved.

Reference: timesofisrael

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