Singapore oil tanker found without cargo near Indonesia

The vessel was on its way to Langkawi, Malaysia, from Tanjung Pinang, Indonesia, when it went off the radar on Saturday evening.

The Singapore-registered MT Joaquim had been seized while sailing from Tanjung Pinang, Indonesia, to Langkawi.

The ship was later found near Indonesia’s Pulau Rupat with its cargo missing, Mr Ahmad Puzi said.

Ahmad Puzi said based on information given by a representative of the company, 3,500 metric tonnes of marine fuel oil were missing.

Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) Vice-Admiral Datuk Ahmad Puzi Ab Kahar said MT Joaquim was spotted by the agency’s Bombardier CL 415 aircraft, 14 nautical miles east of Pulau Rupat. He said the oil cargo was worth US$700,000 (S$969,000). All crew members, including a Singaporean and eight Indonesians, are safe.

Speaking at a press conference here yesterday, he said MMEA received a report on the missing ship from the ship’s agent at 9.30pm and a search and rescue operation was launched immediately. An injured crew member was reportedly airlifted to Alor Gajah Hospital in Malacca, Malaysia, for treatment.

He also did not rule out the possibility of an inside job as the vessel was tracked heading south instead of its north-bound destination. “The ship needs to be fixed. At the moment the owners are still trying to get clearance from the Indonesian authority to allow it to remain there until the ship is fixed”.

Ahmad Puzi said this was the eighth hijacking in Malaysian waters this year.

All 22 crew were subsequently release unharmed while the pirates were arrested by Vietnamese authorities.