A newly registered Singaporean bunker vessel, the ‘PEARL KENZO,’ was involved in a collision with a Chinese fishing boat, resulting in eight crew members of the fishing vessel being reported missing.
The incident occurred approximately a week ago on December 26th as the bunker vessel was en route from Penglai in Northern China to Zhoushan. The collision occurred around 12:08 PM Singapore time near Chengshan Jiao in China. The bunker vessel was reportedly not carrying any cargo, and no environmental damage had been reported due to the accident.
The 7,999 dwt PEARL KENZO was constructed by Jinglu Shipbuilding in China for the Singaporean company Consort. It measures 115 meters in length and has a reported top speed of 12 knots. The vessel’s naming ceremony and handover occurred on December 18th.
Following the accident, the China Maritime Safety Administration initiated a search and rescue operation. They have notified the Maritime Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) that the fishing boat sank at the collision site, leading to eight crew members being reported missing. The crew aboard the bunker vessel, however, reportedly sustained no injuries.
Chinese officials have confirmed that the bunker vessel remains anchored at Shidao in northern China while investigations into the incident are ongoing.
