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SINGAPORE: All Singapore-registered vessels operating in and around Saudi Arabia should be vigilant and take necessary precautions after a tanker was hit by an explosion, the Singapore Maritime and Port Authority (MPA) said.
There were no Singaporeans on board the tanker and all crew members are safe, MPA added in response to CNA inquiries on Wednesday (December 6).
On Monday around 12.40 am (5.40 am Singapore time), the Singapore-flagged oil tanker BW Rhine was in the port of Jeddah when the incident occurred.
“The ship was docked in the port for unloading operations when the explosion occurred. The ship’s operator reported that the ship was hit by an ‘outside source,'” MPA said.
READ: Explosion hits Singapore-flagged oil tanker in Saudi Arabia
Saudi state media have called the explosion a “terrorist attack.”
“A fuel transport ship, anchored at the fuel terminal in Jeddah, was attacked by a ship loaded with explosives in the early hours of this morning,” the official Saudi press agency said, citing an Energy Ministry spokesman. .
He did not say who was behind the assault.
The ship’s fire was put out by the crew with the help of port firefighters and tugs. The ship reported damage to the hull of one of its water ballast tanks and the cargo tank.
BW Rhine, which is owned and operated by Hafnia, is still assessing the damage to its hull, MPA said. No reports of water contamination were received, it added.
In a notice issued Tuesday, MPA said that all Singapore-registered ships in the region must also comply with the requirements and advisories of the relevant port authorities.
MPA added that it was assisting the company and investigating the incident.
In response to the CNA’s inquiries, Hafnia said that the cause of the incident “was not for us, as shipowners, to speculate, but to be determined by the relevant authorities.”
“Our priorities are taking care of the crew and their safety, the stability of the boat and the environment,” said Hafnia Executive Vice President Technical Ralph Juhl.
The company was working to ensure the safety of personnel, stabilize the condition of the vessel and prevent environmental damage, he said.
“Everything is calm and under control and we are working closely with the statutes and authorities to clarify the situation.”
The BW Rhine is a Singapore-flagged tanker with the capacity to transport 60,000 to 80,000 tonnes of light and medium distillate petroleum products, according to Hafnia and Refinitiv shipping data.
The tanker loaded about 60,000 tonnes of gasoline from the Yanbu port on December 6, the data showed. It is currently 84% full, according to your draft.
