The dramatic increase in failed inspections in Singapore fits with a regional trend of rising detentions across Asia since Russia invaded Ukraine early last year. The invasion and subsequent sanctions have prompted a rapid expansion in the dark fleet of tankers sailing under the radar, transporting sanctioned oil to buyers in China, India and elsewhere.
Singapore’s detentions of oil and chemicals tankers have surged since early last year, highlighting growing concerns over the environmental and safety impact of an expanding fleet of ageing vessels plying major shipping lanes.
The city-state has held 33 ships for failing safety inspections so far this year, the same as for the whole of the decade through 2019, according to figures from Tokyo MOU, a regional port control organization. April saw nine detentions, the most for any month since at least 2010.
