A Hafnia-owned LR tanker is ablaze in the South China Sea after colliding with a Chinese-managed VLCC.
The Maritime & Port Authority of Singapore said that it was notified on Friday morning of the incident which resulted in fires on board both the 74,200-dwt Hafnia Nile (built 2017) and the Sao Tome and Principe-flagged 300,000-dwt Ceres I (built 2001).
The incident took place about 55 km northeast of Pedra Branca within Singapore’s maritime search and rescue region.
“MPA has requested passing vessels to assist in the search and rescue of the crew,” the MPA said in a statement.
“A Republic of Singapore Navy ship, RSS Supreme, which is in the vicinity of the incident is providing assistance.
“Currently, a Republic of Singapore Air Force helicopter has also been despatched and is assisting with evacuating the crew,” the MPA added.
Confirming the collision and subsequent fire, Hafnia said in a statement sent to TradeWinds that the team is actively coordinating with the Singapore Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre.
In a follow-up statement on Friday afternoon, Hafnia confirmed that all of the Hafnia Nile’s 22-strong crew had been rescued.
It added: “Two seafarers have suffered minor injuries while the remaining 20 crewmembers are understood to be in good condition.
“The crew members are currently being transferred to shore on a Singapore Naval vessel and are receiving the necessary medical checks as required.
“The family of the crew have been informed and are being regularly updated on the situation,” Hafnia said.
“There is no information on pollution as of now. Our primary focus at this time is the safety and well-being of our crew members, as well as addressing any potential environmental impact resulting from this incident.”
The MPA said on Friday afternoon that a Singapore-flagged supply vessel that was in the vicinity of the incident picked up 14 crew from Ceres I, of which two were evacuated by a Republic of Singapore Air Force helicopter and are currently receiving medical attention at Singapore General Hospital.
The remaining 26 Ceres I crew are currently conducting fire-fighting operations onboard.
Salvage and fire-fighting assets have been arranged by both vessel owners to support the fire-fighting efforts and subsequent towage of the vessels to safety, said the MPA, which added that navigational traffic has not been affected.
The Hafnia Nile is loaded with a cargo of Naptha, according to ship-tracking data from Kpler and LSEG.
P&I coverage for the Hafnia Nile is provided by Gard, according to S&P Global data.
S&P Global’s International Ships Register lists the Ceres I as being owned by Hong Kong-registered single-ship entity Ceres Shipping and managed and operated by Shanghai Prosperity Ship Management since 2019.
The data provider lists the tanker's class society as being unknown since it left the Korean Register in 2020 and its P&I provider is also listed as unknown.
Pressure group United Against a Nuclear Iran has previously accused the VLCC of carrying sanctioned Iranian crude oil.
Calls to Shanghai Prosperity Ship Management office in Shanghai went unanswered early on Friday afternoon.
The company manages the Ceres I and the 106,000-dwt tanker Themis (built 2002).
This article has been updated to include updates on the rescue of the crews of both vessels, and ongoing salvage activities.
