More details have emerged on the collision and a dramatic fire involving two tankers near Singapore earlier this month as the ships remain detained in Malaysian waters for further investigation.
Singapore-flagged Hafnia Nile (pictured) and the Sao Tome and Principe-flagged Ceres I collided and caught fire about 55 km northeast of the Singaporean island of Pedra Branca on July 19. The Hafnia Nile was carrying around 300,000 barrels of naphtha, while the Ceres I, a 300,000 dwt VLCC previously linked to the transport of Iranian crude, was empty.
According to a preliminary assessment by Malaysian authorities, the Ceres I, which had previously been accused of fleeing the scene of the collision with its AIS switched off, was at anchor at the time of the incident due to technical issues.
Malaysia’s Marine Department (MMD) said the Hafnia Nile’s attempts to avoid the Ceres I failed, resulting in the collision, and that VLCC’s anchor was cut off in the process, causing it to drift.
The Ceres I drifted about 30 nautical miles before being found northeast of Pulau Tioman while it was being towed by two tugboats believed to be from Singapore, Mohamad Halim Ahmed, director general of MMD, told a press conference, adding that earlier reports of the vessel leaving the scene after the collision had been inaccurate as all systems, including its AIS, were down.
Meanwhile, as the damage to both vessels is being estimated, the owner of Hafnia Nile, through Resolve Salvage & Fire (Asia), has appointed Straits Salvage Engineers to carry out salvage work. No oil spill was detected, only an oil sheen suspected to be caused by Hafnia Nile’s bunker tank.
All 22 crewmembers of the Hafnia Nile were rescued by the Singapore Navy, while the crew of the Ceres 1 remain onboard their vessel.