Collision near Singapore: Supertanker ‘Ceres I’ Detained in Malaysian Waters for Investigation

A tanker involved in a recent collision near Singapore has entered the vicinity of Malaysia’s Bertam floating oil terminal following its interception by local authorities. The supertanker, Ceres I, flagged under Sao Tome and Principe, left the scene of a collision with the Singapore-flagged Hafnia Nile last Friday and was found in Malaysian waters being towed by two tugboats. The Malaysian coast guard detained Ceres I and the tugboats for further investigation.

The Bertam FPSO terminal is situated in the South China Sea off the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia. Ceres I, a VLCC supertanker with a capacity of around 2 million barrels of oil, is currently empty according to AIS data from LSEG. Historical data from Kpler indicates that Ceres I has previously loaded crude and fuel oil from Iran and Venezuela through ship-to-ship transfers between 2019 and March 2024. The vessel is managed by Shanghai Prosperity Ship Management, according to LSEG data.

The collision with the Hafnia Nile, a Panamax tanker with a capacity of 74,000 deadweight tons, carrying about 300,000 barrels of naphtha for Japan, led to discussions between Hafnia, the manager of Hafnia Nile, and Malaysian authorities to ensure the safe movement of the vessel.

The waters surrounding Singapore, known for being one of the busiest global sea lanes, experienced minor traces of an oil spill at the collision site, located about 55 km northeast of Singapore’s Pedra Branca island. The Malaysian coast guard conducted aerial surveys and reported the spill, with the environment department being notified to conduct further monitoring.