RI, Dutch ships collide off S'pore

RI, Dutch ships collide off S'pore

SINGAPORE (AFP): An Indonesian tanker and a Dutch-registered dredge collided on Friday in Singapore waters, spilling the chemical phenol into the sea, port authorities said.

The tanker Hikari 2 left the port bound for Surabaya in Indonesia with 500 tons of the chemical when it was hit in its port midship section around 5:15 a.m. local time on Friday.

Port authority staff said only a small amount of phenol seeped out, but people were advised to keep clear of the area while the cleanup was in progress.

The dredge Volvox Delta was damaged in its bow but continued on to discharge its cargo of sand. There were no reports of injuries to crew members on either vessel and the port authority was investigating the cause of the collision.