Prosecutors have filed charges that could carry jail terms and heavy fines
A catastrophic collision between two tankers in the South China Sea that killed one person and injured several others was caused by crew fatigue, inadequate bridge manning, and safety system failures, according to an investigation by Singapore’s Transport Safety Investigation Bureau.
The Singapore-registered oil and chemical tanker Hafnia Nile struck the anchored tanker Ceres I on July 19, 2024, whilst travelling at 14 knots in waters east of Malaysia. The fully laden vessel collided with the empty, anchored tanker at about 6:02am local time, causing major fires on both ships and severe structural damage.
The investigation, completed in December, found the Hafnia Nile’s second mate had received only two hours of rest during the 38.5 hours before the incident. The officer had travelled overnight from Colombo, Sri Lanka, transiting through Kuala Lumpur before joining the ship in Singapore at noon. Upon boarding, he immediately began duties and took part in port activities whilst the vessel was at anchor.
“HN-2M was likely tired from overnight travel, the workload upon joining, and disrupted rest prior to assuming the midnight watch,” the report read.
The second mate later left the wheelhouse to prepare two reports in the chartroom, which was separated from the bridge by a curtain, leaving an able seafarer alone at the controls. Investigators concluded the paperwork was not time-critical and could have...
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