Second deadly tanker fire in months hits FSO under repair in Indonesia

Floating storage and offloading (FSO) unit, tanker vessel Federal II, has suffered an explosion and fire during repair work at ASL Shipyard near Batam City, Indonesia, killing 10 and injuring 21, according to local police.

The public relations office for the Barelang City Police station said, in the lead-up to the deadly incident, workers were undertaking repairs on the Federal II tanker. The vessel is listed in vessel valuation firm VesselsValue’s database as a 96,800-dwt, 1990-built Aframax tanker, operated under the commercial management of Indonesian state-owned energy firm Pertamina as an FSO.

"The initial chronology of the incident is known to have begun when workers were performing repairs on the oil cargo tank belonging to the Federal II vessel," the police report said. "At approximately 4:20 am western Indonesian time, an explosion and flames erupted from the tank, which then ignited the work area. The safety team from PT ASL Marine Shipyard immediately began extinguishing the fire and evacuating victims, and the fire was extinguished by around 5:00 am western Indonesian time."

The victims are being treated at Mutiara Aini Hospital, Graha Hermine Hospital, Elisabeth Sei Lekop Hospital, and Embung Fatimah Regional Hospital, the police said.

Police said a joint team from the Riau Islands Regional Police and the Barelang City Police are currently investigating the incident and the scene to determine the exact cause of the fire.

The Federal II FSO has been undergoing repairs for seven months at ASL Shipyard, which lies across the busy Singapore Strait shipping lane from major maritime centre Singapore. Police confirmed that a similar incident occurred on 24 June 2025, killing four and injuring five workers, according to Indonesian state-owned news outlets.

In social media posts, Barelang Police Chief, Senior Commissioner Zaenal Arifin, and the staff expressed their condolences for the families of the victims of the fires on the Federal II ship at ASL Shipyard, Tanjung Uncang.

A report from Indonesia’s national news agency Antara said the police investigation had indicated health and safety failures and designated two officers of a subcontractor working at the shipyard as persons under investigation.