The Ruby Mar, a ship carrying 21,000 tonnes of fertiliser, sank in the Red Sea after a Houthi attack, potentially triggering massive algal blooms that could cause "dead zones" for marine life.
Ammonium phosphate sulphate fertilisers, along with leaking fuel, could release excessive nutrients into waters containing rare corals, marine mammals, and reef fish, causing a foamy scum.
UK-owned Rubymar, the first vessel lost since Houthis began targeting commercial ships in November, sank at around 100 meters (330 feet) depth in a narrow area between Yemen and Eritrea, according to a maritime warning.
The shallow waters near the coasts are abundant with coral.
Ali Al-Sawalmih, director of the Marine Science Station at the University of Jordan, criticized the location for its large amount of fertilizer.
Scientists are optimistic that the Red Sea, adapted to warm water conditions, could serve as a coral refuge as climate change intensifies ocean warming.
Shipping industry sources suggest that the conflict in the area complicates cleanup efforts and may discourage salvage ships from entering high-risk waters.
The insurance company for Belize-registered Rubymar is unknown, and the storage and security of the fertiliser are unknown, and no damage has been reported thus far.
Sawalmih stated that the sinking could be the worst environmental catastrophe the region has experienced in over a decade.
Overloading fertilisers can lead to excessive algae growth, consuming oxygen, causing marine life to die, creating dead zones where nothing lives.
Fertilizers frequently contain harmful chemicals that are toxic to marine life.
Navanti Group's Mohammed al-Basha warns that contamination of Yemen's Red Sea coast in Hodeidah and Taiz could lead to lower catches and livelihood damage.
Yemen's Houthis, aligned with Iran, have pledged to continue sinking ships in the Red Sea and the Bab el Mandab choke-point, which transports millions of barrels of oil and industrial commodities daily.
The Houthis, who control northern Yemen and other major centers, claim their campaign is a demonstration of solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.
CORAL ECOSYSTEM
The Ruby Mar sinking is a rare occurrence in recent years with significant fertilizer on board, potentially the only one in a sensitive coral ecosystem.
A German-flagged vessel carrying 1,000 tonnes of nitrogen fertiliser sank along the Danube River border between Serbia and Croatia earlier this year.
Serbian authorities claim that the fertiliser was transported downstream and a subsequent analysis revealed no increased pollution.
The Red Sea, a nutrient-poor water body, often receives minimal artificial inputs from urban wastewater discharge and aquaculture operations.
Derek Manzello, coordinator of the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Coral Reef Watch, warns that drastic algal blooms may occur due to excessive fertilizer dumped into the ocean.
Corals, adapted to warm water conditions, may be more resilient to rising ocean temperatures due to their ability to bleach, which involves expelling colorful algae from their tissues under heat stress.
Red Sea reefs experienced rapid coral loss between 2019 and 2023 due to high ocean temperatures, with corals exposed to high nutrients being more susceptible to heat stress and bleaching.
Algae blooms in the water column can create a murky soup that hinders sunlight from reaching reefs.
Manzello criticized the sinking of Rubymar and potential fertiliser release as adding insult to injury.