Deadly Blaze on Indonesian Oil Tanker During Repairs Claims 10 Lives, Injures 18 in Batam Shipyard

A disastrous fire swept through the MT Federal II oil tanker early Wednesday morning while it was undergoing repairs in a shipyard in Batam, located in Indonesia's Riau Islands province. The fire, which erupted at about 4:00 a.m. local time, killed at least 10 workers and left 18 others seriously injured.

The vessel, which was anchored some 20 kilometers from Singapore, was undergoing repairs when the fire occurred. Authorities confirmed that the tanker was empty at the time of the accident, ruling out any explosion related to cargo. All of the dead were part of the repair crew, and some of the injured are receiving treatment at local hospitals.

The cause of the fire is under investigation, and the authorities have yet to publicly confirm the ownership of the MT Federal II. The incident is similar to what happened in Batam a few months earlier, in June 2025, when a ship caught fire during repairs, killing four and injuring nine. There were charges filed in that incident for violation of safety standards.

The regularity of these accidents has raised serious concern about standards of safety in ship repair yards across the region. Investigators are now attempting to establish whether negligence in safety practices may have contributed to this latest disaster.

As the investigation unfolds, the relatives of the dead and the broader maritime community are left to cope with the fallout from another preventable maritime disaster.