Spill after containership and chem tanker collide in Singapore Strait

According to the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) a Liberian-flagged containership Hammoia Thracium leaving the port and a Panama-flagged chemical tanker Zoey collided off Seborak Island at around 1535hrs local time.

“Hammonia Thracium reported that one of her bunker tanks sustained damage, resulting in spillage of some 80 metric tonnes of bunker fuel,” MPA said.

Four patrol craft were dispatched to deal with the spill and oil spill response companies were also activated the authorities said.

MPA said that prior to the collision its Port Operations Control Centre had provided information to the two vessels and alerted the Zoey that the Hammonia Thracium was crossing its path. It added the two vessels were currently stable outside port waters and the cause of the incident was under investigation.

It is the third collision in recent weeks. On 30 January the containership NYK Themis hit the barge AZ Fuzhou at East Keppel Fairway at about 4 km south of Marina South and the Hong Kong-flagged chemical tanker Lime Galaxy collided with the China-flagged containership Feihe at about 2.7 km south of Jurong Island on 29 January.

The clean-up of oil spills from the previous two collisions which hit shores of Singapore’s southern islands were reported on 7 February.