Singapore: Two large oil tankers erupted in flames on Friday following a collision in the waters off Singapore, the world’s largest refueling port. Authorities reported that two crew members were airlifted to the hospital, while others were rescued from life rafts.
The incident occurred approximately 55 km (34 miles) northeast of Pedra Branca, an island in the eastern approach to the Singapore Straits. The Singapore-flagged tanker Hafnia Nile and the Sao Tome and Principe-flagged tanker Ceres I were involved in the collision, according to the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA).
The Hafnia Nile’s owner confirmed the vessel’s involvement in the crash with the Ceres I. The MPA reported that all 22 crew members aboard the Hafnia Nile and all 40 crew members on the Ceres I have been accounted for. The fire was first reported at 6:15 a.m. local time (2215 GMT).
Images from the Singapore Navy depict thick black smoke emanating from one of the tankers, with crew members being rescued from life rafts and transported to the hospital.
Environmental authorities in neighboring Malaysia have been notified and are preparing for potential oil spills resulting from the incident.
The Hafnia Nile, a Panamax tanker with a deadweight tonnage of 74,000, was transporting approximately 300,000 barrels of naphtha, as indicated by ship-tracking data from Kpler and LSEG. The specific cargo of the Ceres I, a Very-Large-Crude-Carrier (VLCC) with a capacity of 300,000 deadweight tons, was not immediately known. Historical ship-tracking data showed it was last reported carrying Iranian crude between March and April.
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Prior to the fire, the Ceres I had been stationed at the same location since July 11, according to LSEG shipping data. Michelle Wiese Bockmann, principal analyst at Lloyd’s List Intelligence, noted that this area is frequently used by “dark fleet” vessels for illicit oil transfers, including Iranian oil in violation of U.S. sanctions. “The Ceres I has repeatedly been involved in transferring or shipping Iranian oil in breach of U.S. sanctions,” she stated.
Shipping sources also revealed that the tanker had previously been engaged in transporting Venezuelan oil to China. The China-based owner of the Ceres I could not be immediately reached for comment. China has consistently opposed unilateral sanctions.
Singapore remains Asia’s premier oil trading hub and the largest bunkering port globally. Its surrounding waters are crucial trade routes connecting Asia with Europe and the Middle East.
