SINGAPORE: On Friday, two large oil tankers caught fire near Singapore, raising significant environmental and operational concerns. The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) reported that the fires started at approximately 6:15 a.m. local time (2215 GMT) on a Singapore-flagged tanker, Hafnia Nile, and a Sao Tome and Principe-flagged tanker, Ceres I.
Emergency response efforts included a helicopter evacuation of two crew members to Singapore General Hospital. The Singapore Navy’s frigate RSS Supreme played a critical role in rescuing the remaining crew members and providing medical assistance, though further details have not yet been disclosed.
The vessels were located about 55 kilometers northeast of Pedra Branca, an island off Singapore’s eastern coast. Photographs from the Navy show thick black smoke pouring from one of the tankers. The exact cause of the fires remains unclear.
The Hafnia Nile, a Panamax tanker with a deadweight capacity of 74,000 tons, was transporting around 300,000 barrels of naphtha, a highly flammable liquid. The Ceres I, a very-large-crude-carrier (VLCC) with a 300,000-ton capacity, was last reported to carry Iranian crude oil earlier this year, though its current cargo is unknown.
Singapore, as Asia’s largest oil trading hub and the world’s leading bunkering port, is crucial for global trade between Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. The fires at this strategic location could impact operations and environmental safety in these vital trade routes.
