Tanker, Containership Collide in Singapore

An Iranian supertanker collided with a container ship in the Singapore Strait with no loss of life or pollution despite damage to both vessels, shipping officials said on Thursday.

 

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) said the collision took place just before midnight on Thursday between Dream II, owned by Iran's top oil tanker operator NITC, and MSC Alexandra, owned by the world's no.2 container group MSC of Switzerland.

 

The MPA and MSC said a number of container boxes fell into the sea, and others landed on the deck of Dream II.

 

"We are ... extremely relieved to hear that there has been no loss of life, or pollution caused despite the significant damage to the hull of MSC Alexandra," Yock Juee Tan, managing director of MSC Asia, said in a statement.

 

"We are now continuing to work closely with the authorities and salvage teams to ensure containers are safely discharged."

 

MPA said separately Dream II sustained damage to its bow, adding that both vessels were safely anchored in Singapore.

 

Iran has aimed to ramp up oil exports since the lifting of international sanctions in January after Tehran signed a nuclear deal with world powers last year.

 

The removal of international restrictions has enabled NITC to operate more freely and increase shipments of oil cargoes to its top buyers in Asia including China.

 

The Singapore Strait, one of the world's busiest commercial shipping routes, is a 105-km long, 16-km wide passage between the Strait of Malacca to the South China Sea.