Saving Sounion: a salvage operation within a war zone

When Sounion was targeted, attacked and boarded by Houthi militants in August 2024 a potential environmental disaster was averted. Tim Mount, at Ambrey, explains the salvage process

On the morning of 21 August 2024 Sounion, a Panamax-class oil tanker registered in Greece, was transiting through the Red Sea, carrying a substantial cargo of crude oil from the Arabian Peninsula to European markets. The vessel had already completed part of its journey, navigating the narrow shipping lanes near the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, a chokepoint for international shipping. As it sailed in international waters, Sounion was assaulted by missiles fired by the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels.