Ecological ripple effect of tanker collision in the Gulf of Oman

On June 17, 2025, a two-vessel collision in the Gulf of Oman near the Hulfekan anchorage resulted in a fire and leakage of fuel oil from a tanker’s bunker. Although the accident did not directly result in a large-scale crude oil spill, navigation anomalies (e.g., GPS signal spoofing) caused by electronic interference have resulted in distorted navigational data for more than 900 ships in the region, indirectly exacerbating shipping risks. Currently, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) is working with regional countries to assess the potential path of oil pollution spreading, especially the threat to coral reefs and fishery resources in the Gulf of Oman. According to Greenpeace, the accident could further undermine the ecological resilience of the region, which has already suffered a 35 per cent decline in coral cover as a result of historical pollution and climate change.