(Bloomberg) -- Two oil tankers have been on fire since early Friday morning after a collision to the east of Singapore, raising fresh questions over the rising risks to maritime traffic, the environment and human lives in one of the world’s busiest waterways.
Hafnia Nile, a Singapore-flagged refined-products tanker, and Ceres I, a crude oil tanker sailing under the flag of Sao Tome & Principe, are 55km (34 miles) northeast of the tiny island of Pedra Branca, at the eastern entrance to the Strait of Singapore. The two crashed early on Friday, Danish shipping firm Hafnia said in a statement, adding all 22 crew had been rescued.
It wasn’t immediately clear what caused the collision, though the aging Ceres I, empty on its way back from China, underlines the challenges that come with more older, often uninsured vessels moving sanctioned crude through the Straits of Malacca. The waters to the east of the Malaysian peninsula have long been a hub of dark fleet activity.
Ceres I was built in 2001, meaning it’s still in use well beyond when most owners would consider scrapping a vessel and its P&I insurer is unknown, a characteristic common to almost all dark fleet ships, data compiled by Bloomberg show.
The vessel hauled cargoes from Iran and Venezuela earlier this year and last year, according to data from market intelligence firm Kpler. The flag of Sao Tome, meanwhile, is used by only 55 vessels out of a merchant fleet of tens of thousands of ships, according to Clarkson Research Services, a unit of the world’s largest shipbroker.
Singapore’s Maritime and Port Authority has asked for help from passing craft. A navy ship, the RSS Supreme, was nearby and has provided assistance, along with a military helicopter, it said. The 40 Ceres I crew members are all accounted for, though some are still onboard fighting the fire.
The MPA said both vessel owners have arranged salvage and fire-fighting assets, as well as the subsequent towing of the ships to safety. Navigational traffic isn’t affected, it added. Hafnia said there was also no immediate evidence of pollution.
The Hafnia Nile is covered against risks such as collisions and spills by Gard, a spokesperson for the largest provider of such insurance said. They added that the company had been unable to find insurance within the industry-standard International Group of P&I Clubs for the Ceres I.
Dark fleet vessels have caused problems for Singapore before. A shadow-fleet oil tanker ran aground near Singapore in December, and earlier last year a ship called the Pablo exploded near Malaysia. Its burning wreckage sat for months off the country’s coastline.
Attempts to reach Ceres I’s owner weren’t immediately successful.
--With assistance from Sharon Cho and Alex Longley.
(Updates with collision, more vessel details, and the status of the rescue operation)
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