Fire Erupts on Tanker in Singapore Anchorage, Crew Rescued

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore and the Civil Defense Force swiftly responded to a fire aboard the tanker Med Atlantic shortly after it arrived in the Singapore anchorage. The 22 crew members were successfully evacuated from the product tanker, and the fire was quickly brought under control. The product tanker, registered in Malta for Sea Tankers 4 and managed from Istanbul, had shifted from neighboring Malaysia into the Singapore anchorage that morning. The fire was reported to have started in the engine room and moved into the funnel around 10:30 a.m. local time.

Multiple vessels were dispatched to assist with the situation, including one patrol craft from the MPA, two Police Coast Guard craft, three Singapore Civil Defence Force marine firefighting and rescue vessels, and two tugboats. The Defence Force initially conducted boundary cooling to cool the exterior of the vessel before boarding to assess the situation. No visible signs of fire were found onboard the vessel, and water jets were used to ensure no fire remained. A “damping down” operation was then carried out to prevent the fire from rekindling.

Despite the tanker remaining listed as “not under command” on its AIS signal, the crew was reported safe and beginning to assess the damage. The MPA issued warnings to other vessels in the area but confirmed that there was no disruption to vessel traffic. The teams involved in the firefighting operation worked efficiently to contain and extinguish the fire, ensuring the safety of the crew and minimizing the impact on maritime operations.

Source