Malaysian Coast Guard Reports Tanker Involved in Fire Has Departed Site

Malaysia’s coast guard reported that one of two oil tankers involved in a collision, causing fires on both vessels, had left the scene and turned off its tracking system. The tanker, named “Ceres I” and flying the flag of São Tomé and Príncipe, was believed to be in Malaysian waters. The collision occurred with the Singapore-flagged ship Hafnia Nile northeast of Pedra Branca, Singapore.

The crew of the Ceres I, consisting of 40 members, were reported safe, with 14 being evacuated by helicopter and 26 remaining onboard for firefighting efforts. The tanker’s Chinese owner could not be reached for comment. The Ceres I, a Very Large Crude Carrier, had been tracking Iranian oil, although the Iranian Oil Ministry stated none of the ships involved were carrying Iranian crude oil.

The Hafnia Nile, a 74,000-ton tanker carrying naphtha, had all 22 crew members evacuated safely to Singapore. Salvage experts boarded the charred tanker to establish a towing connection for safe removal. Discussions with Malaysian authorities are ongoing to move the tanker, with an investigation into the cause of the incident also being conducted in cooperation with Singapore.

Source .