Safety lapses found on dredger involved in June oil spill

Serious lapses relating to fire safety and life-saving equipment aboard Netherlands-flagged dredger Vox Maxima were uncovered during an inspection by Singapore’s port authority in the wake of the worst oil spill here in a decade.

- Kok Yufeng

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) confirmed on July 5 that it had carried out a port state control (PSC) inspection on Vox Maxima on June 15.

That was the day after the ship purportedly lost engine and steering control and hit Singapore-flagged bunker vessel Marine Honour, which was berthed at Pasir Panjang Terminal.

MPA said the inspection, which ensures visiting foreign ships meet international standards on safety, security and marine pollution prevention, is separate from the investigations that are being conducted by the authorities into the June 14 incident.

“In addition to routine inspections, whenever there is a collision, allision or bunker spill, MPA will also do a PSC inspection. This is MPA’s current standard operating procedure,” the authority added. An allision occurs when a moving vessel hits a stationary object.