Alpine Eternity: Singapore “deeply concerned”

MAY 18, 2015 — A statement issued today by the the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) says that Singapore is “deeply concerned” by the reported shooting incident involving the Singapore-registered tanker Alpine Eternity that took place in international waters May 14 (see earlier story)

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) has requested that the Iranian maritime authorities investigate the incident and prevent future recurrences.

“The freedom of navigation and free flow of commerce are of critical importance to Singapore and other maritime and trading nations. Such interference with navigational rights is a serious violation of international law,” says the MPA.

“As to the collision on 22 March 2015 (Singapore time) involving ‘Alpine Eternity’ and an oil platform located in the Persian Gulf,” says the MPA, “the ship manager, Transpetrol Ship Management Pte Ltd, had reported the incident to MPA on 23 March 2015. As the Flag Administration of ‘Alpine Eternity’, MPA had immediately commenced a marine safety investigation into the incident in accordance with the International Maritime Organization’s Casualty Investigation Code, and the investigation is still in progress.”