Malaysia coast guard detains oil tanker involved in collision off Singapore
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A rigid-hulled inflatable boat of Singapore navy ship RSS Supreme in the vicinity of the burning vessels, following the collision about 55km north-east of the Singapore island of Pedra Branca on July 19, 2024.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia’s coast guard said on July 21 that it had located and intercepted a large oil tanker that was involved in a fiery collision with another vessel
The coast guard said earlier on July 20 that the Sao Tome and Principe-flagged Ceres I, a very large crude carrier supertanker, had left the location of the collision that caused a fire and injured at least two crew members.
The ship was also believed to have turned off the tracking system, it added.
The Ceres I was found in Malaysian waters with two tugboats towing it, the coast guard said on July 21.
The oil tanker and the two tugboats have been detained by the coast guard for further investigation, it added.
Meanwhile, aerial surveys conducted by the coast guard found minor traces of an oil spill at the location of the collision between the Ceres I and the Singapore-flagged Hafnia Nile, the coast guard said on July 21.
“The environment department has been informed and will conduct further monitoring,” it added.
Hafnia Nile carrying naphtha from Spain
Spanish oil and gas company Cepsa said the oil tanker Hafnia Nile was carrying naphtha loaded from the company’s energy park in Huelva, Spain.
“Cepsa was informed by shipowner Hafnia about a collision involving one of their vessels near the island of Pedra Branca in the South China Sea,” Cepsa’s spokesperson said late on July 21.
“We are in constant contact with the shipowner and local authorities and have offered our full support and collaboration.”
Cepsa did not comment on the quantity or status of the cargo.
The Hafnia Nile, a 74,000-deadweight-tons capacity Panamax tanker, was carrying about 300,000 barrels of naphtha, according to ship-tracking data from Kpler and LSEG. Naphtha is a raw material for making petrochemicals.
Traders said the cargo has been sold to Japan’s top refiner Eneos. The refiner said it does not comment on individual transactions. REUTERS
