Collision between 2 container vessels results in oil spill

JOHOR BAHRU: A collision of two container vessels on Tuesday night in the east Johor Strait off Pasir Gudang Port has resulted in an oil spill.

A Singapore-registered vessel, Wan Hai 301, was entering the port at about 11pm when it collided onto the right side of a bunker tank of an anchored Gibraltar-registered APL Denver.

Johor Environment Committee chairman Datuk Ayub Rahmat confirmed the incident.

He said in a statement that Wan Hai 301 suffered an electricity failure and could not be controlled, resulting in the collision.

Ayub said the accident caused an oil spill from the tank of APL Denver that can hold 300 tonnes of oil.

Initial monitoring by the Department of Environment revealed that much of the spill had entered Singapore waters, particularly near Pulau Ubin, he said.

The department was conducting an investigation on the two vessels, he added.

Meanwhile, a spokesman of the Johor Port Authority said it had sent a team to the location to obtain details on the accident.

He said every preliminary action had been taken but it was awaiting a full report from the affected parties and the authorities.

The Malaysia Maritime Enforcement Agency said in a statement that Wan Hai 301 was entering Pasir Gudang Port when it collided with an anchored APL Denver.

MMEA Southern Region chief of enforcement First Admiral ( Maritime) Adon Shalan said no one was reported injured in the incident and that the two vessels were at the port in Pasir Gudang.

Johor Port and the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore ( MPA) were engaged in efforts to control the oil spill in the respective waters.

Adon said the capacity of the damaged tank of APL Denver was 300 tonnes.

In Singapore, the MPA said in a statement that traffic in the east Johor Strait and Singapore’s port operations remained unaffected following the collision.

It said some oil patches were spotted and the spillage had been contained off the western side of Pulau Ubin.

MPA said it had activated a total of eight anti-pollution craft with dispersant- spraying capabilities to clean up the spilled oil.

There have been no reports of injury, it said.

MPA said that as the flag state of Wan Hai 301, it would also be investigating the cause of the collision.

MPA said the Master of APL Denver reported that one of its bunker tanks sustained damage, resulting in about 300 tonnes of oil spillage. — Bernama