(www.MaritimeCyprus.com) The Transport Safety Investigation Bureau report into the July 2024 collision between the product tanker Hafnia Nile and the VLCC Ceres I is unsettling precisely because the chain of events was so routine.
A second officer boards after an overnight international travel. His first hours onboard are spent on handover, leaving little opportunity for meaningful rest. He then takes the midnight watch in congested waters after less than two hours of uninterrupted sleep across almost forty hours. A scheduled fire-alarm test interrupts what rest he could get. Administrative reports still need to be completed, so he leaves the bridge to deal with them, leaving an able seaman alone on watch. Radar alarms are silenced or disabled.
Meanwhile, the anchored VLCC observes the approaching tanker, judges the situation to be non-critical, and does not initiate early communication, which the report later characterises as a missed opportunity.
The Hafnia Nile (69,999 dwt) was laden and travelling along the shipping channel off Singapore when it hit the shadow tanker Ceres I, which was reported to be empty and at anchor. It took place about 35 miles northeast of Pedra Branca. The Hafnia vessel was severely damaged, and an ensuing fire engulfed both vessels. The crew of the Hafnia vessel was evacuated, but one crewmember aboard the shadow tanker was killed and another was severely injured.
At the time, there was a lot of attention on the shadow fleet tanker, which was registered in São Tomé and Príncipe. Malaysian authorities accused the vessel of attempting to leave but later recanted, saying they believed the vessel was drifting while attempting to stop the fires. They arrested the tanker and brought it back to port.
The Hafnia Nile was registered in Singapore and the MPA led the investigation. According to the filing in State Court, they are alleging the vessel failed to maintain a proper watch and situational awareness leading to the collision on July 19, 2024.
A Sri Lankan national, Wickramage Viraj Amila Shavinda Perera, age 40, was the officer of the watch that morning aboard the Hafnia Nile. He is being accused of failing to maintain situational awareness and making a full situational appraisal of the risks to navigation. He is also charged with failing to ensure a proper watch was maintained.
An Indian national, Soosai Anthony Vainer, age 35, was on watch on the bridge. The charges allege that he observed the Hafnia Nile was “approaching close” to the Ceres I but failed to alert the officer. According to the reports, he allegedly steered the Hafnia Nile without being directed to do so by the officer of the watch. He is also charged with failing to keep a proper lookout.
The Hafnia Nile, built in 2017, was salvaged and its cargo discharged, but the vessel has remained out of service. It appears to have since been renamed Hafnia Shannon.
The Ceres I was subsequently released, and its last AIS signal placed it off the coast of Nigeria. Available information suggests it may still be operating within the so-called shadow fleet, with Equasis listing its current flag as unknown.
Find out more details by reading the full investigation report below:
Source: Singapore Transport Safety Investigation Bureau
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