sank in Singapore’s territorial waters off Pedra Branca on Sunday
The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) confirmed that all eight crew members were rescued safely
The MPA received a distress call from the Silver Sincere around 3:40 p.m
The master of the tanker without any delay evacuated the entire crew into life rafts as the situation worsened
was directed by MPA to help in the rescue operation
The freighter successfully recovered all crew members from the life rafts
MPA said that the crew are in good health and will be disembarked at Batu Ampar
supported by vessels from the Republic of Singapore Navy and the Singapore Police Coast Guard
MPA has moved to the vessel recovery stage
Salvage tugs have been deployed to handle the sunken tanker
oil spill-response craft have been deployed as a precautionary measure to prevent any environmental damage
MPA has also issued navigational safety advisories to ensure passing vessels avoid the incident site
The authority confirmed that navigational traffic in the Singapore Strait has not been disrupted
This incident occurred just a day after a similar operation
where MPA coordinated the rescue of 18 crew members from a Vietnam-registered freighter
which sank in Singapore’s search and rescue region
With two similar incidents reported in a weekend
MPA continues to ensure safety measures are in place and is closely monitoring the situation
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Sixteen miles off the coast of Tasmania sits Pedra Branca, an ominous rock spire emerging from a violent seascape. The wave there is the stuff of nightmares: a giant, thick-lipped right-hander breaking into deep, dark water. A crew of Tasmanian chargers abandoned their sanity in pursuit of massive barrels. See the story and more in our March Issue
Filmed and edited by Andrew Chisholm.
It was unclear who provided insurance for the Ceres I
which was not covered by top-tier providers such as Gard
according to other data.Reporting by Jeslyn Lerh and Florence Tan in SINGAPORE and Jonathan Saul in LONDON; Writing by Lincoln Feast; Editing by Jacqueline Wong
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Singapore's Maritime and Port Authority rescued eight crewmembers from a sinking tanker just off Pedra Branca
a lighthouse installation at the eastern entrance to the Singapore Strait - the second sinking in two days in the Singaporean search and rescue zone.
the master of the small product tanker Silver Sincere reported that the vessel was taking on water and that the crew was abandoning ship
All crewmembers safely evacuated into a liferaft
and they were saved by a good Samaritan freighter
the Intan Daya 368. All survivors were in good health when delivered to shore at Batu Ampar
the MPA has transitioned to a pollution-control response for the Silver Sincere
Salvage tugs and a spill-abatement vessel have been activated and dispatched to the scene; as of yet
the busy traffic lanes of the Singapore Strait have not been affected
but the MPA is broadcasting a safety advisory to shipping to stay clear of the wreck site.
a good Samaritan ship rescued the crew of a sinking Vietnamese freighter in the South China Sea
off the coast of peninsular Malaysia but within Singapore's vast search and rescue zone
The yard-and-stay freighter Dolphin 18 sent a distress call on Saturday morning and reported that they were going down
The call was received by the 2,200 TEU container feeder Nicolai Maersk
which reported it to the Singapore MPA Maritime Rescue Coordination Center (MRCC) at about 0700 hours
Nikolai Maersk safely rescued 18 crewmembers from their liferafts
ValOre Metals (TSXV: VO) is set to create a nearly 1,000 sq
km precious metals district in Brazil’s Ceará state
according to chairman and CEO Jim Paterson
the company signed a letter of intent to buy all common shares of South Atlantic Gold in exchange for 38.5 million shares
valued at about C$2.7 million ($1.9 million)
This deal merges two nearby Pedra Branca projects with similar geology
“Bringing together these two projects is long overdue,” Paterson told The Northern Miner at the recent PDAC show in Toronto
“I’m juggling four deals right now,” he added
indicating the company’s busy pace as it focuses on unlocking platinum-group metals value in Brazil
Watch the full interview below with The Northern Miner’s western editor
Joint venture videos are paid content arranged with The Northern Miner
Gruyere gold mine joint venture partners Gold Fields and Gold Road Resources reach agreement on a friendly deal to consolidate ownership.
The latest 10 include the proposed copper-nickel mine in Minnesota under a joint venture between Glencore and Teck.
Exploration and mining of the energy metal has for 12 years been banned or largely restricted for environmental reasons in British Columbia, Quebec and Nova Scotia.
Gina Rinehart's mining company, Hancock Prospecting, is among the biggest donors to opposition leader Peter Dutton's Liberal Party.
Jack Lundin, president and CEO, hailed Filo del Sol as "one of the most significant greenfield discoveries in the last 30 years."
Connecting decision makers to a dynamic network of information
Bloomberg quickly and accurately delivers business and financial information
2024 at 4:25 AM EDTBookmarkSaveTwo oil tankers have been on fire since early Friday morning after a collision to the east of Singapore
raising fresh questions over the rising risks to maritime traffic
the environment and human lives in one of the world’s busiest waterways
a Singapore-flagged refined-products tanker
a crude oil tanker sailing under the flag of Sao Tome & Principe
are 55km (34 miles) northeast of the tiny island of Pedra Branca
at the eastern entrance to the Strait of Singapore
Danish shipping firm Hafnia said in a statement
2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ValOre Metals Corp
(“ValOre”; TSX‐V: VO; OTCQB: KVLQF; Frankfurt: KEQ0
“the Company”) today provided assay results from Trado® auger and rock samples collected from the Boa Vista target (“Boa Vista”) at ValOre’s 100%-owned Pedra Branca Platinum Group Elements (“PGE”
“2PGE+Au”) Project (“Pedra Branca”) in northeastern Brazil
“The PGE mineralization reported today from the Boa Vista target includes numerous high grade rock samples and the best Trado® hole
ever drilled on the Pedra Branca property,” stated ValOre’s VP of Exploration
“Boa Vista is located along the same geological trend as the Synform target
which also returned high-grade PGE mineralization in previous exploration programs
Follow up mapping and Trado® drilling is planned as part of a broader exploration program
to be focused on potential targets along the 20km-long Boa Vista-Synform trend.”
2024 Boa Vista Exploration Program Highlights
Trado® auger drilling has intercepted ultramafic rocks in 4 of 8 Trado® auger drill holes completed to date (18 m of 26 m drilled in total)
All 3 Trado® assays received to date returned PGE mineralization
ValOre conducted geological reconnaissance
prospecting and initial Trado® drilling around the historical rock sample 82701
with results reported herein extending known PGE mineralization to approximately 100 m in strike-length
Detailed geological mapping and Trado® drilling are planned to further investigate these high-grade results
Table 1: Trado® Auger Assay Highlights for Boa Vista (reported herein) and Synform (reported March 23
1Trado assay interval lengths are estimated to represent 90-100% of true width
Trado® end of hole (“EOH”) depths typically represent that the auger has entered impenetrable unweathered bedrock
so mineralization and ultramafic rocks (“UM”) present at EOH remain open at depth and require follow-up diamond or RC drilling
Figure 1: Location map of the Boa Vista and Synform targets
Figure 2: Chromitite Trado® “core” recovered from Trado® hole AD24BV05
Quality Assurance/Quality Control (“QA/QC”)
CLICK HERE for a summary of ValOre’s policies and procedures related to QA/QC and grade interval reporting
The technical information in this news release has been prepared in accordance with Canadian regulatory requirements set out in NI 43-101 and reviewed and approved by Thiago Diniz
ValOre’s QP and Vice President of Exploration
(TSX‐V: VO) is a Canadian company with a team aiming to deploy capital and knowledge on projects which benefit from substantial prior investment by previous owners
existence of high-value mineralization on a large scale
and the possibility of adding tangible value through exploration and innovation
*The 2022 Technical Report is entitled “Independent Technical Report –Mineral Resource Update on the Pedra Branca PGE Project
Brazil” was prepared as a National Instrument 43-101 Technical Report on behalf of ValOre Metals Corp
The 2022 Technical Report by Independent qualified persons
Fábio Valério (P.Geo.) and Porfirio Cabaleiro (P.Eng.)
commissioned to complete the mineral resource estimate while Chris Kaye of Mine and Quarry Engineering Services Inc
was commissioned to review the metallurgical information
The Mineral Resource estimates were prepared in accordance with the CIM Standards
plus economic and mining parameters appropriate to the deposit
do not have demonstrated economic viability
and may be materially affected by environmental
Mineral Resources are based upon a cut-off grade of 0.4 g/t PGE+Au
and were limited by an economic pit built in Geovia Whittle 4.3 software and following the geometric and economic parameters as disclosed in the 2022 NI 43-101 Technical Report
ValOre Metals Corp. is a proud member of Discovery Group. For more information please visit: http://www.discoverygroup.ca/
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release
This news release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of applicable securities laws
Although ValOre believes that the expectations reflected in its forward-looking statements are reasonable
such statements have been based on factors and assumptions concerning future events that may prove to be inaccurate
These factors and assumptions are based upon currently available information to ValOre
Such statements are subject to known and unknown risks
uncertainties and other factors that could influence actual results or events and cause actual results or events to differ materially from those stated
anticipated or implied in the forward-looking statements
A number of important factors including those set forth in other public filings could cause actual outcomes and results to differ materially from those expressed in these forward-looking statements
Factors that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include the future operations of ValOre and economic factors
Readers are cautioned to not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements
The statements in this press release are made as of the date of this release and
ValOre does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or to revise any of the included forward-looking statements
ValOre undertakes no obligation to comment on analyses
expectations or statements made by third parties in respect of ValOre
or its financial or operating results or (as applicable)
Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/cf15145c-a008-4b66-b51e-734e4647b345
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/6227a31c-2135-4cab-b670-253529e3aa93
The ex-PM is also facing a corruption crackdown that he and his associates say is targeted at opponents of his former protégé Anwar Ibrahim
a Royal Commission of Inquiry called for a probe into Mahathir for allegedly cheating the government into withdrawing a challenge against the International Court of Justice’s (ICJ) decision to award Pedra Branca to Singapore over a decade ago
the combative Mahathir said the commission’s findings were politically motivated to “neutralise” him politically and paint him as a criminal
“There must be somebody who has a special interest in my case … the whole idea is how to destroy me
call me treacherous and all that,” he told a news conference
in an apparent reference to comments by Anwar last week
Anwar said on Friday that the RCI had exposed failures in defending the country’s sovereignty in the Pedra Branca case
it made it into the Hollywood remake of ‘Point Break.’
There’s a handful of mythical waves in the world of surfing
or Pedra Branca – a shark-infested reef off Tasmania
suffered one of the worst wipeouts ever seen at Pedra Branca back in 2014
It was so bad that it made it into the Hollywood remake
or sequel to the original – 2015’s poorly-received Point Break
Hollmer-Cross talked to the blokes at Aclassic about the wipeout
which you can watch above and below from his “Wipeout of the Year” nomination
But here’s what they had to say about it in the caption to the vid:
This one is one of James Hollmer Cross’ and it’s like nothing you have ever seen
James tells us first hand about the wave that he caught and broke his leg on that was so wild it featured as the final wave for Bodhi in Point Break 2
Plus what it was like towing his brother into a wave that he thought was almost certain death when he looked back
“Pedra is known for its enormous slabs of open ocean swells
“Subscribe to never miss one of these wild saltwater stories
“If you have someone you want to hear from then leave a comment and we will make it happen
“A huge thank you to all of the photographers who have captured James over the years
in particular the ones who have allowed me to use their shots in this clip.”
Stay tuned for more from wild rides and vicious wipeouts from Aclassic
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Rozanna Latiff in Kuala Lumpur and Jonathan Saul in London; Editing by Christopher Cushing
Reporting by Ashley Tang; Writing by Rozanna Latiff; Editing by Kate Mayberry
Reporting by Danial Azhar; Editing by John Mair and Shri Navaratnam
©2024 Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore
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The company is reportedly weighing options to divest copper and gold assets that were acquired from Oz Minerals
BHP Group, a leading global mining company, is reportedly considering the sale of its copper and gold mines in Brazil, Bloomberg News reported
These assets were acquired through the recent buyout of Oz Minerals
sources privy to the development have indicated that BHP is in the early stages of exploring potential buyers
which has recently stepped back from plans to acquire British mining giant Anglo American
Bloomberg previously reported that BHP’s Brazil manager had stated the company had no plans to divest its stake in Samarco Mineracao
an iron ore venture jointly owned with Brazilian mining company Vale
This indicates a selective approach to asset sales within BHP’s Brazilian operations
Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard
Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis
In May 2023, BHP completed the takeover of Oz Minerals for A$9.6bn ($6.27bn)
a strategic acquisition aimed at expanding its access to critical materials for the green energy sector
BHP’s subsidiary BHP Lonsdale Investments acquired 100% of Oz Minerals’ shares for A$28.25 each
Oz Minerals shareholders secured A$26.50 a share and a fully franked special dividend of A$1.75 for each share held
Meanwhile, last month, BHP was in the news for its joint venture with Lundin Mining to purchase Canadian exploration company Filo
Filo holds full ownership of the Filo del Sol copper-gold-silver deposit in San Juan Province
Filo shareholders will retain approximately 11% of Lundin Mining’s equity
Give your business an edge with our leading industry insights
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Former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad speaks during an interview with Reuters in Putrajaya
KUALA LUMPUR: A Malaysian royal commission of inquiry has proposed a criminal probe against former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad over a decision to drop claims over two islets in the Singapore Strait
a report presented in parliament showed on Thursday (Dec 5)
Current Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim had previously called for a review of a 2018 government decision
that saw Malaysia drop its application challenging a 2008 International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling that Singapore had sovereignty over the Pedra Branca islet
Malaysia had sought to have the ruling overturned
and requested clarification from the ICJ on the status of another islet
Both applications were withdrawn a year later
when Mahathir was serving his second term as prime minister
recommended that 99-year-old Mahathir be investigated for cheating and wrongful losses over the dropped claims
citing his responsibilities as prime minister to protect and defend Malaysia's interests and sovereignty
Mahathir's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment
the offences carry prison terms of up to seven years
also recommended that Mahathir face civil action over the case
the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled that Pedra Branca belongs to Singapore while Middle Rocks belongs to Malaysia
It also ruled that South Ledge belongs to the state in the territorial waters of which it is located
Malaysia in January launched a royal commission of inquiry to study the handling of cases involving the islets in the Singapore Strait as well as Middle Rocks
Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said in January that the royal commission of inquiry is "an internal matter of Malaysia"
"We do not see this affecting the good bilateral relations between Singapore and Malaysia," a MFA spokesperson added
Previously, MFA had said that the country stood ready to "robustly defend" its sovereignty over Pedra Branca
both Singapore and Malaysia publicly announced that they will accept and abide by the Court's decision which is final," it said in 2022
Malaysia instituted an application for revision and a request for interpretation of the Court's 2008 decision
which were subsequently withdrawn by Malaysia in 2018
an application for revision cannot be made after the expiry of 10 years from the date of the Court's 2008 judgment
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All eight crew members were safely evacuated
and navigational traffic through the Singapore Strait remains unaffected
A MALAYSIA-flagged small oil tanker sank at the weekend in Singapore’s territorial waters near Pedra Branca
All eight crew members safely evacuated on to liferafts before the 1,187 dwt, 1987-built Silver Sincere (IMO: 8712829) went down, according to a statement by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore
Navigational traffic through the Singapore Strait is unaffected
Lloyd’s List Intelligence data shows the tanker had been deployed on Malaysia’s domestic trade. Its last recorded stop was Port Klang between January 4 and 5
The MPA was alerted to a distress call from Silver Sincere around 1540 hrs local time
The ship reported it was taking on water and had begun sinking
An Indonesia-flagged general cargoship Intan Daya 368 (IMO: 9694713), directed by the MPA, recovered all crew members from the liferafts. The MPA reported the crew was in healthy condition and will disembark at Batu Ampar, Indonesia.
The MPA co-ordinated search and rescue efforts, deploying crafts alongside ships from the Republic of Singapore Navy and Singapore Police Coast Guard. The authority stated the search and rescue phase has been completed.
For the vessel recovery phase, MPA has activated salvage tugs and precautionarily deployed oil spill response craft as well.
It is broadcasting navigational advisories asking vessels to steer clear of the incident location.
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ShareBurning vessels following a fire on two oil tankers about 55 km (34 miles) northeast of the Singaporean island of Pedra Branca, July 19, 2024.A Chinese tanker linked to Iranian oil smuggling activities, was located after it was involved in a collision with a Singaporean ship on Friday.
All rights reserved for Volant Media UK LimitedOver the weekend
Malaysia's coast guard said it had located and intercepted Ceres I
which had collided with another vessel off Singapore
causing a fire and injuring at least two crew members
The Sao Tome and Principe-flagged supertanker was also believed to have turned off its tracking system
oil analytics firm Vortexa said that at the time of the collision
indicating it was not carrying any cargo.The Iranian government also stated about a day after the collision that neither vessel had been carrying any Iranian oil at the time
a large crude-carrying supertanker with a capacity to hold 2 million barrels
has previously transported millions of barrels of Iranian oil
Chief of Staff at United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) and a specialist in monitoring suspicious oil tankers
the tanker has transported at least 8 million barrels of Iranian oil and
an additional 7.5 million barrels of Venezuelan oil
Experts have also noted that the area where the vessel had been anchored is known to be used by so-called dark fleet ships for the illicit transfer of Iranian oil in contravention of US sanctions
a crucial hub for oil trading and bunkering
oversees waters essential to global trade routes linking Asia
and the Middle East.Despite international sanctions
Iran continues to export large volumes of oil
primarily through the waters of Malaysia and Singapore using illicit ship-to-ship transfers
The collision occurred approximately 55 km northeast of Pedra Branca
an island on the eastern approach to the Singapore Straits
according to the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA)
Iran shipped 670,000 barrels of oil per day to Malaysian waters
This volume increased to 800,000 b/d in 2024
representing over half of Iran’s total oil exports to China
Crude oil imports from Malaysia to China surged to over 1.1 million barrels per day (mb/d) last year
a sixfold increase compared to pre-sanction levels in 2018
Experts say the particular vessel has a practice of turning off its tracking transponder to evade sanctions
"The Ceres I has been a boat that has gone dark many times over the years," Matt Stanley
Stanley stated that the vessel's last Automatic Identification System (AIS) signal
indicated it was carrying Iranian crude oil – which the US has sought to restrict by imposing sanctions on the involved ports
The insurance coverage for the Ceres I remains uncertain
as none of the major international P&I clubs
which collectively insure a significant portion of global maritime tonnage
Jungman estimated that around 400 foreign tankers have been involved in illegal Iranian oil shipments since the US imposed sanctions in 2018
resulting in substantial revenue losses for Iran from its oil exports
This revenue loss encompasses costs related to middlemen
and discounts offered to Chinese refineries
Referred to as "ghost ships" or "dark fleets," these vessels disguise their ownership and movements to facilitate breaches of sanctions
They engage in the risky practice of ship-to-ship transfers in the open ocean and turn off Automatic Identification System (AIS) transponders to obscure their identity
these vessels have been involved in at least 50 incidents to date
As a result of assistance from ghost ships
Iran's oil exports rose by about 30% to approximately 1.6 million barrels per day in the first half of 2024 compared to the same period last year
according to statistics from Kpler and Vortexa
despite these efforts to circumvent sanctions
Iran lost more than one-fifth of its oil revenues in 2023
Eugene Tan puts ecology ahead of politics with his studies of Pedra Branca
with a form of psycho-geographic render that goes beyond ‘mere mapping’
Tan takes the medieval mappa mundi as the inspiration for his two studies of the disputed outcrop of Pedra Branca
24 nautical miles off Singapore’s coast
expressing the place not just in its physicality but in relation to the monsoon season
its bridled tern population and tidal fluctuations that see it almost disappear
These are expressed on a circular drawing ‘where the island takes centre stage
and no particular way of orientating the site takes priority over the other’
making its ecology and unique aspects central to the conversation about the island
Chou was struck by both the map drawing and its key
the latter serving as the explanation of the former
‘It’s quite cool,’ said Chou
‘It’s a modern form of map-making
which is part of a great tradition.’ Wigglesworth agreed
seeing both as a form of psycho-geographic render ‘taking it beyond the realm of mere mapping’
Eye Line award winning drawings from this and previous years
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Abdul Hadi Awang said that a deal over Pedra Branca’s sovereignty was signed in 1953 “even before Mahathir (Mohamad) became the prime minister”
KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian authorities are investigating the president of Islamist party Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS) over his alleged social media comments that touched on issues surrounding Pedra Branca
which the police warned could potentially cause public unrest
Inspector-General of Police Razarudin Husain on Thursday (Dec 19) confirmed that a report was lodged about the statement posted on Abdul Hadi Awang’s social media accounts earlier in the week
“A detailed investigation is underway,” Razarudin told local media
adding that the case is being investigated under Section 505(b) of the Penal Code for making a statement that could cause public alarm as well as Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 for improper use of network facilities
Razarudin said that Abdul Hadi would be called in soon to have his statement recorded by the police to assist in investigations
Abdul Hadi said that the Pedra Branca issue “has pointed fingers at the innocent and has nothing to do with the (one) slandered”
he further alleged that there was a deal signed back in Sep 21
1953 to hand over sovereignty over the Pedra Branca islet to Singapore
which was “even before Mahathir became the prime minister”
Abdul Hadi was referring to a letter from Johor's Acting State Secretary to Singapore’s Colonial Secretary in 1953 which stated that the “Johor government does not claim ownership of Pedra Branca”
which became a key consideration of the International Court of Justice’s (ICJ) judgement over the issue
“Now the stupid act is openly covered by liars by blaming Mahathir
who had nothing to do with handing over (Pedra Branca) to the (British) colonialists,” he added
On Dec 5, the Malaysian Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) proposed a criminal probe against Mahathir Mohamad over his decision to drop claims over two islets in the Singapore Strait - Pedra Branca and South Ledge - when he served his second term as prime minister
The RCI is a fact-finding body convened by the king on the advice of the Cabinet
It looks into matters of “considerable public importance” and controversy
These include the conduct of government officers
public service departments or any issue concerning public welfare
while also seeking clarification from the ICJ on the status of another islet
The dispute over Pedra Branca dates back to 1979
when Malaysia published a map indicating that the island was within the country's territorial waters
Pedra Branca is located near the eastern entrance of the Singapore Strait
the ICJ ruled that Pedra Branca belongs to Singapore while Middle Rocks belongs to Malaysia
the RCI recommended 99-year-old Mahathir be investigated for cheating and wrongful losses over the dropped claims
citing his responsibilities as prime minister to protect and defend Malaysia’s interests and sovereignty
Mahathir said that the decision was not made unilaterally
He said it was a collective Cabinet decision in 2018 which also involved former deputy prime minister and Anwar’s wife Wan Azizah Wan Ismail
Democratic Action Party leader Anthony Loke and Amanah president Mohamad Sabu
Loke is Malaysia’s current transport minister while Mohamad Sabu is minister of agriculture and food security in Anwar’s unity government
The trio however claimed that they were not consulted on the decision
and Malaysia’s withdrawal of the application was communicated to Singapore on the morning of May 23
even before the first Cabinet meeting was held
Mahathir previously regarded the recommendation for a criminal probe into him to be a politically motivated move intended to tarnish his reputation
The vessel is said to be part of a fleet which intentionally - and illegally - disables their location trackers
Update: Malaysian authorities said on Tuesday (Jul 30) that Ceres I did not flee the scene but drifted away as an anchor chain was cut off during the collision
SINGAPORE: Earlier in July, the Singapore-flagged tanker Hafnia Nile and Sao Tome and Principe-flagged tanker Ceres I collided about 55km northeast of Pedra Branca island
After crew members of both vessels were accounted for and some evacuated
The site of the collision was within Singapore’s maritime search and rescue region
so a nearby Singapore navy frigate responded while the Singapore air force sent a helicopter to assist with evacuations
The Hafnia Nile crew were brought to Singapore
Two Ceres I crew members had to be sent to Singapore General Hospital
the Ceres I then illegally left the site and turned off its tracking system
It was found by the Malaysian coast guard two days later
Singapore last week said it was discussing with Danish shipping firm Hafnia about a safe location to transfer its cargo as well as to tow the vessel away for repairs
Both Malaysian and Singapore authorities are investigating the incident
and moving at 14.2 knots when the collision happened
according to automatic identification system (AIS) data
The AIS provides information on the identity and location of all ships
The 228m-long and 32m-wide tanker was carrying up to 60,000 metric tonnes of naphtha
a highly flammable mixture used to make petrochemicals
according to data from analytics firm Kpler
AIS data meanwhile showed the 330m-long and 60m-wide Ceres I moving at zero knots at the time
The National University of Singapore (NUS) law faculty’s Emeritus Professor Robert Beckman said AIS spoofing may have contributed to Ceres I colliding with the Hafnia Nile
The practice involves the deliberate manipulation of AIS data to disguise the actual location of the ship
who co-heads an ocean law and policy programme at the university
maritime information service Lloyd's List Intelligence's principal analyst Michelle Wiese Bockmann called Ceres I a "serial spoofer"
Its AIS records before the collision showed an unchanged or identical course and speed for long periods
an improbability given navigation and weather adjustments
Prof Beckman pointed to maritime journal reports of the Ceres I shipping sanctioned Iranian and Russian oil over the past five years
and engaging "in a range of dangerous and deceptive shipping practices”
That would render the tanker as what’s known as a "dark ship" and part of a “dark fleet”
which employs illicit or evasive tactics to transport across the world oil from countries subject to global sanctions
Operated by China’s Shanghai Prosperity Ship Management
Ceres I is categorised as a very large crude carrier (VLCC) - among the biggest out there
and capable of carrying around two million barrels
Kpler data showed the Ceres I carrying cargo from Iran and Venezuela earlier this year and the last
Ceres I also discharged heavy Iranian crude in the waters off eastern Malaysia around June
“The area is well-known for storage and ship-to-ship transfers of sanctioned Iranian
Venezuelan and Russian oil destined for China,” she noted
Iran’s Ministry of Petroleum has issued a statement saying the Ceres I was not carrying Iranian crude oil
Lloyd’s List defines a ship as part of the dark fleet if it's aged 15 and above; anonymously owned; solely used in trades relating to sanctioned countries; and engaging in deceptive shipping practices
these include outright disabling AIS transponders to “go dark” and be undetected
Dark ships avoid inspection by not entering ports where they may be subject to checks
To avoid the regulatory reach of coastal states
they anchor outside territorial sea limits of 12 nautical miles
and carry out ship-to-ship transfers in exclusive economic zones
Dark ships are also characterised by their use of multiple “flags of convenience” over short periods of time
said maritime risk management firm Windward
International law requires merchant ships to be registered in a host country
A flag of convenience refers to when a ship is registered in a different country than the one where its owner resides or holds citizenship
Flags of convenience thus at times allow shipowners to remain legally anonymous
making it difficult to take civil or criminal legal action against them
flags of convenience have also been used to hide criminal activities such as drug and human trafficking or illegal fishing
Ceres I has over the years changed its flag multiple times
Marshall Islands and now Sao Tome and Principe
Panama is particularly popular as it offers online registration and doesn't levy an income tax on foreign owners
Prof Beckman said estimates of strength of the dark fleet range from 600 to 1,400
“The oil-exporting states that are subject to international sanctions are likely to be supporting the dark fleet,” he said
has reportedly used dark ships to work around the West’s efforts to constrain it after the invasion of Ukraine
Their evasive tactics could create misleading or dangerous situations
And any collision is a potential risk to human life
especially if it involves vessels carrying oil products
Kpler’s lead crude analyst Viktor Katona told CNA
Naphtha - carried by the Hafnia Nile - is much more flammable than crude
so it was "genuine luck" its collision with Ceres I didn't lead to a catastrophe
Dark ships are also not responsive and cooperative when such incidents occur - as seen in Ceres I fleeing the scene - which in turn threatens the safety and lives of crew
Prof Beckman noted that sailors onboard dark ships are typically recruited from third-world countries by unscrupulous agents
They might not be aware that they are working on an unsafe and unregulated tanker
Then there is the risk of oil spills from collisions and groundings
and what it would do to the marine environment
Aerial surveys had found an oil spill covering five square nautical miles at the scene of the collision between Ceres I and Hafnia Nile
“The pollution issue is exacerbated because most of the tankers in the dark fleet do not have liability insurance for oil pollution damage to coastal states,” said Prof Beckman
noting that such insurance is in fact required by International Maritime Organization (IMO) conventions
The advanced age of dark ships - almost 70 per cent of them are older than 15 - also makes them more likely to be in poor condition and prone to accidents
The IMO’s legal committee discussed the issue of dark ships in March last year
after it was told that hundreds of tankers were circumventing sanctions and high insurance costs
the IMO adopted a resolution urging member states and stakeholders to take steps to prevent the illegal operations of the dark fleet
Prof Beckman said tougher legislation could help to combat the problem
The long-term solution is for laws and regulations to mandate that oil tankers be registered only in states that can and will ensure the ships fully comply with IMO conventions
preventing pollution from ships and ensuring regular inspections
The Malaysian-registered tanker Silver Sincere on Dec 20
SINGAPRE: All crew members of a Malaysia-registered tanker were rescued after the ship sank in Singapore's territorial waters off Pedra Branca on Sunday (Jan 12)
The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) said it was alerted to a distress call at about 3.40pm from the Silver Sincere that the vessel was taking in water
All eight crew members had evacuated from the sinking vessel on life rafts
They were then safely recovered by Indonesia-registered freighter Intan Daya 368
which was directed by MPA to render assistance
together with craft from the Republic of Singapore Navy
The search and rescue phase coordinated by MPA has been completed,” said MPA in a news release late on Sunday
"All crew are in healthy condition and will be disembarked at Batu Ampar
MPA said that salvage tugs have been activated to recover the vessel
Oil spill response craft have also been activated as a precaution
It added that it is broadcasting navigational safety advisory for passing vessels to stay clear of the incident site
Navigational traffic in the Singapore Strait is not affected
Sunday’s incident came a day after Singapore coordinated the rescue of 18 crew members on a Vietnam-flagged freighter
which issued a distress call when reportedly in Singapore's maritime search and rescue region
but all crew members on board were rescued
The oil tanker Ceres I collided with Singapore-flagged Hafnia Nile on Jul 19
The Malaysian coast guard previously said it had illegally left the location of the collision and turned off its tracking system
FILE PHOTO: A handout image shows the RSS Supreme's rigid-hulled inflatable boat in the vicinity of the burning vessels following a fire on two oil tankers about 55 km (34 miles) northeast of the Singaporean island of Pedra Branca
Republic of Singapore Navy/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo
which collided about 55km northeast of Pedra Branca with the Singapore-flagged Hafnia Nile on Jul 19
did not flee the scene but had drifted away
Malaysian authorities claimed on Tuesday (Jul 30)
both vessels caught fire and the anchor chain of the vessel Ceres I on the starboard side was cut off and subsequently caused the vessel Ceres I to drift,” said Director General of Malaysia's Marine Department Capt Mohamad Halim Ahmed at a press conference
His latest comments contradict previous reports, which had quoted the Malaysian coast guard saying the Sao Tome and Principe-flagged Ceres I had illegally left the location of the collision and turned off its tracking system. It was found two days later along with two tugboats towing it
Giving an update on the incident on Tuesday
Capt Halim said both ships are now anchored in Malaysian waters
The Ceres I was eventually found 20 nautical miles from the collision site
a holiday island destination off the coast of Pahang
“It didn’t try to run away but had communication and navigational issues,” he said when asked if the automatic identification system (AIS) data had been turned off by the Ceres I
The collision happened within Singapore’s maritime search and rescue region
The Hafnia Nile was moving at 14.2 knots when the collision happened
Capt Halim said preliminary investigations found that the Ceres I
and the Hafnia Nile vessel could not avoid colliding with it
“We do have some views on how the accident happened
It’s like one car was stationary and the other was moving
we cannot disclose why it happened,” said Capt Halim
was carrying up to 60,000 metric tonnes of naphtha
while the Ceres I was without cargo and on its way to Langshan
Ceres I is categorised as a very large crude carrier (VLCC) – among the biggest out there
a maritime analyst identified the Ceres I as a "serial spoofer"
a term that refers to ships that deliberately manipulate AIS data to disguise their actual location
Ceres I also discharged heavy Iranian crude in the waters off eastern Malaysia around June
according to maritime information service Lloyd's List Intelligence's principal analyst Michelle Wiese Bockmann
Asked if the authorities would investigate various allegations against Ceres I
Capt Halim said that the priority now is on the incident and the safety of the vessels
The priority is to keep the vessels afloat
adding that Malaysia is working with Singapore authorities on this
The initial investigation has detected no oil spill
only an oil sheen suspected to be caused by the Hafnia Nile
“The salvor placed an oil boom around the Hafnia Nile vessel to control the situation
No oil spill from the Ceres I vessel was reported,” he said
All 22 crew members of the Hafnia Nile were rescued by the Republic of Singapore Navy's RSS Supreme
The Ceres I’s crew members are still on board the ship
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