Two massive oil tankers have been on fireplace on Friday in waters close to Singapore, the world’s largest refueling port, with two crew members airlifted to hospital and others rescued from liferafts, authorities stated.
The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) stated it was alerted to a hearth on Friday at 6:15 a.m. (2215 GMT) onboard each a Singapore-flagged tanker, Hafnia Nile, and a Sao Tome and Principe-flagged tanker, Ceres I.
The vessels have been about 55 km (34 miles) northeast of the Singaporean island of Pedra Branca on the jap method to the Singapore Straits.
A helicopter had evacuated two crew members to Singapore Basic Hospital, MPA stated, with out elaborating.
In an announcement on social media, Singapore Navy stated the frigate RSS Supreme had rescued the crews from the vessels and was offering medical help. It didn’t instantly give particulars.
Images launched by the Navy confirmed thick black smoke billowing from one tanker and crew being rescued from liferafts and flown to hospital.
The reason for the fires was not instantly clear.
Malaysia’s maritime enforcement company stated in an announcement it initiated a search and rescue operation on the location of the oil tankers.
Malaysia’s division of setting has additionally been knowledgeable to organize for additional motion in case of oil spills, it added.
The 74,000 deadweight-tons capability Panamax tanker Hafnia Nile (IMO 9766217) was carrying about 300,000 barrels of naphtha, in line with ship-tracking knowledge from Kpler and LSEG.
It was not instantly clear what gasoline Ceres I (IMO 9229439) was carrying. The tanker is a very-large-crude-carrier (VLCC) of 300,000 deadweight-tons capability and was final marked as carrying Iranian crude between March to April, ship-tracking knowledge confirmed.
The Ceres I tanker has been concerned in transporting Iranian oil and in addition Venezuelan oil to China lately, delivery sources stated. Its China-based proprietor couldn’t instantly be reached for touch upon Friday.
Singapore is Asia’s largest oil buying and selling hub and the world’s largest bunkering port and surrounding waters are important commerce waterways between Asia and Europe and the Center East.
(Reporting by Jeslyn Lerh; Writing by Lincoln Feast; modifying by Jacqueline Wong and Miral Fahmy)
Keen on Vitality?
Get automated alerts for this matter.
