Two large oil tankers caught fire on Friday after colliding near Singapore, the world’s largest refuelling port, with two crew members airlifted to a hospital and others rescued from life rafts, authorities and one of the companies reported.
The Singapore-flagged tanker Hafnia Nile and the Sao Tome and Principe-flagged tanker Ceres I were about 55 km (34 miles) northeast of Singapore’s Pedra Branca island, on the eastern approach to the Singapore Straits, according to the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA).
The owner of the Hafnia Nile confirmed that their vessel collided with the Ceres I.
All 22 crew members of the Hafnia Nile and the 40 on the Ceres I were accounted for said the MPA, which was alerted to the fire at 6:15 a.m. (22:15 WAT).
Photos released by the Singapore Navy showed thick black smoke pouring from one tanker and crew members being rescued from life rafts and flown to a hospital.
Environmental authorities in neighbouring Malaysia said they were notified to prepare for potential oil spill responses.
The Panamax tanker Hafnia Nile, with a capacity of 74,000 deadweight tons, was carrying about 300,000 barrels of naphtha, according to ship-tracking data from Kpler and LSEG.
It was not immediately known what fuel Ceres I was carrying. The tanker, a very-large-crude-carrier (VLCC) with a 300,000 deadweight-ton capacity, was last reported to be carrying Iranian crude between March and April, according to ship-tracking data.
Before the fire, the Ceres I had been at the same location since July 11, according to LSEG shipping data.
The area is known for being used by “dark fleet” ships to transfer Iranian oil in violation of the U.S. sanctions, said Michelle Wiese Bockmann, principal analyst at Lloyd’s List Intelligence.
“The Ceres I has repeatedly been involved in transferring or shipping Iranian oil in breach of U.S. sanctions,” she stated.
Shipping sources indicated that the tanker was also involved in transporting Venezuelan oil to China in recent years.
The China-based owner of the Ceres I could not be immediately reached for comment.
China has consistently stated its opposition to unilateral sanctions.
Singapore is Asia’s largest oil trading hub and the world’s biggest bunkering port. Its surrounding waters are crucial trade routes between Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.
Nancy Mbamalu
Source: Reuters
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