“TECHNICAL issues” with the tugs assigned to tow stricken tanker Sounion (IMO: 9312145) away from danger meant salvage efforts have been postponed, a spokesperson from European Naval Force’s Operation Aspides told Lloyd’s List.

Lloyd’s List reported on Monday that efforts to tow the burning crude carrier away from its current location off the Yemeni coast were due to start that afternoon.

A salvage company that Lloyd’s List was asked not to name due to a continuing threat to life was working with three tugs, Red Bull (IMO: 7911636), Hercules (IMO: 9558517), and Gladiator (IMO: 7621011). The last two vessels are sanctioned by the US Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control.

But an update from Operation Aspides on Tuesday afternoon said the operation had been paused because that salvage company had decided it was not safe enough to begin towing the tanker.

“Alternative solutions” were being explored, the statement said, but an Operation Aspides spokesperson told Lloyd’s List today that it was unclear what those alternative solutions might be.

Instead, all parties continue to assess the situation to find another way to prevent what would be a catastrophic ecological disaster should Sounion spill its cargo.

The Aspides spokesperson said a ship-to-ship transfer was likely one of the solutions being explored and that larger tugs would be needed to tow the tanker.

A destination for Sounion to discharge its cargo was still no closer to being finalised. The Aspides spokesperson said it would be “premature” to discuss this until the technical issues were solved.

There has been speculation that Boskalis’ SMIT Salvage had been contracted to aid the salvage efforts, but Lloyd’s understands this is not the case.