Two container vessels have collided in waters off the western island of Shikoku, Japan late on Wednesday, according to the Japan Coast Guard (JCG).

A Chinese crew member is being detained in Japan following a collision between two cargo ships that resulted in the deaths of at least five seafarers in the early hours of Friday morning.

Norwegian Car Carriers (NOCC) chief Engebret Dahm says no fault has been found against their crew allegedly involved in the crash with fishing vessel Yujin Maru no. 7 on 23 June.

Norwegian Car Carriers (NOCC) has posted a NOK1.4m ($230,000) net profit for the second quarter of 2012, making NOK4.8m ($790,000) in the first half.

Oil leaking from the the ro-pax ferry St Thomas Aquinas, which sank late last week with the loss of at least 50 lives, has spread to the coast of the Philippines, Reuters reports.

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) is to set up an inquiry, and possibly look into criminal charges for the operators of ferry St. Thomas Aquinas and cargo vessel Sulpicio Express Siete which collided on 16 August in Cebu leaving at least 52 dead.

A cargo vessel and a ferry with almost 700 passengers have collided in the Philippines.

An oil spill in Singapore water due to a collision between two dry bulk carriers has been contained, according to the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA).

A collision in Singapore waters between two dry bulk carriers caused an oil spill of roughly 100 metric tonnes of bunker fuel, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) has said on Tuesday.

Forest fires in Sumatra are compromising vessels’ safe passage through the Straits of Malacca and Singapore, with smoke haze seriously obstructing visibility.