Nearly five months after the Netherlands-flagged hopper dredge hit a bunker tanker causing the worst oil spill in Singapore in a decade, two deck officers and two engineers have been arraigned. Singapore is charging the crewmembers of the Van Oord-operated dredger Vox Maxima with failure to execute their duties. The next hearing for the case is scheduled for December 4.
The dredger Vox Maxima (43,400 dwt) was underway on June 14 in Singapore harbor when the vessel struck the docked bunker tanker Marine Honour (9,000 dwt) while it was alongside another vessel at the Pasir Panjang Terminal. One of the bunker vessel’s tanks was ripped op and an estimated 400 tons of fuel oil leaked into the harbor and fouled the shoreline in sensitive environmental areas.
The Vox Maxima reported a loss of propulsion and steering control just before the casualty, according to Singapore's Maritime and Port Authority (MPA).
After the incident, Singapore ordered the Vox Maxima to remain in Singapore during the investigation. The day after the allision, Singapore conducted a Port State inspection and reported a long list of 13 deficiencies aboard the dredger. Three of them, including issues with the fire ventilation system and lifeboats, were grounds for detention. They also reported seeing oil accumulation in the engine room and unspecified structural conditions. The vessel received a clean inspection on June 30.
The captain of the vessel, Richard Ouwehand, age 49, along with the navigation officer Martin Hans Sike, age 48, were brought up on charges that they failed to “ensure that emergency steering was carried out.”
Two engineers, identified by the Straits Times newspaper as Merijn Heidema, age 25, and Eric Peijpers, age 55, were also charged. Singapore is contending that the engineers failed to make sure sufficient reserve power was available when the ship was maneuvering.
Singapore devoted significant resources to the oil spill recovery including employing over 700 people and deploying 3,400 meters of containment boom. While they reported the oil slick had dissipated within four days, the Maritime and Port Authority reported about 550 tonnes of oil-soaked sand and debris was collected from all affected beaches
