Iranian supertanker, container ship collide in Singapore Strait

A large container ship has collided with an Iranian supertanker in the busy Singapore Strait, causing damage to both vessels but no injuries or oil pollution, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) says.

It reported on Thursday that the Dream II Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC), owned by the National Iranian Tanker Company (NITC), and the Swiss-owned MSC Alexandra container ship collided just before midnight on Wednesday about three kilometers southeast of Sebarok Island.

MSC Alexandra said that six empty container boxes fell into the sea and four others fell onto the deck of Dream II.

The MPA reported that before the incident, its Port Operations Control Center provided traffic information and alerted both ships of the risk of collision.

Immediately after the collision, the MPA issued navigation broadcast to warn ships about the presence of floating containers in the site, and deployed survey and salvage teams to recover the containers, it added.

“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, the 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.”

Both Dream II and MSC Alexandra are in a stable condition and are now safely anchored in Singapore.

SS