Charges Filed Against Crew Members in Deadly Singapore Tanker Incident

Two crew members from the oil tanker Hafnia Nile, registered in Singapore, are facing charges under the Merchant shipping Act after a tragic collision that led to one fatality and serious injuries to another individual.Citing data from CNA, it has been revealed that the accused are Soosai Antony Vainer, 35, an Indian national, and Wickramage Viraj Amila Shavinda Perera, 40, from Sri Lanka. Court records indicate that Perera was responsible for overseeing navigational duties during the incident on July 19,2024.

The accident took place about 55 kilometers northeast of Pedra Branca island in Singapore and resulted in both vessels catching fire. At the time of the collision, Hafnia Nile was transporting around 300,000 barrels of naphtha destined for Japan.The charge sheets claim that Perera did not adequately assess navigation risks or maintain awareness of his surroundings while operating a Panamax tanker chartered by Cepsa—a Spanish energy company—leading to a crash with another vessel known as Ceres I.

Vainer was on lookout duty during this navigational watch and reportedly noticed Hafnia Nile getting too close to Ceres I but failed to alert Perera about it. Additionally, he is accused of steering without proper instructions while neglecting his lookout responsibilities.

This unfortunate event caused critically important damage to both ships and resulted in one crew member’s death aboard Ceres I along with serious injuries sustained by another crew member.Notably absent at the time of impact was any cargo on Ceres I; however, it had previously transported Iranian crude oil against Western sanctions aimed at curbing Iran’s oil exports. This incident marks what is believed to be the frist recorded collision involving a vessel linked with Iran’s shadow fleet.

the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore is leading legal proceedings against both individuals involved. Their cases were presented in State Courts on July 2 but have been postponed until later this month for further hearings.

Preliminary investigations conducted by Malaysian marine authorities suggest that technical difficulties had left ceres I anchored when it collided with Hafnia Nile. Fortunately, no major oil spill has been reported at the site; only an “oil sheen” thought to originate from damage sustained by Hafnia Nile’s bunker tank has been observed.

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