Silver Sincere (2025) | Novatug Maritime Wiki

Classification

Incident Type: Sinking
Severity: High
Primary Source: TSIB final report TIB/MAI/CAS.188

Vessel Details

Field	Value
Vessel Name	Silver Sincere
Vessel Type	Tanker
Flag State	Malaysia [MY]
IMO Number	8712829
MMSI	533379000
Call Sign	9MGZ9
Gross Tonnage	739
LOA (m)	64.238
Breadth (m)	10.0
Bollard Pull (t)
Power (kW)	1029
Owner/Operator	CCK Capital SDN BHD / Peninsular Marine SDN. BHD.
TEU
Year Built	1987
Crew Size	8

Incident Details

Field	Value
Date	2025-01-12
Location	off Pedra Branca in Singapore territorial waters
Coordinates	1.3314, 104.4117
Region	Other
Fatalities	0
Injuries	0
Missing	0
Vessels Lost	1
Direct Damage
Economic Damage
Outcome	Silver Sincere capsized and sank after seawater ingress caused a worsening port list; all eight crew members were rescued without injury.

Key facts

Silver Sincere departed Port Klang on 9 January 2025 for a ship-to-ship transfer operation while carrying waste oil cargo.
The tanker had low freeboard and unresolved defects, including an inoperative ballast pump, an underperforming generator, a corroded engine-room drain pipe and a broken port-side air-vent head.
Seawater ingress caused a progressive port list, loss of electrical power, and loss of propulsion and steering.
All eight crew members abandoned the vessel safely and were rescued without injury before the tanker capsized and sank off Pedra Branca.

Narrative

According to TSIB final report TIB/MAI/CAS.188, the Malaysia-flagged oil tanker Silver Sincere departed Port Klang on 9 January 2025 for a ship-to-ship transfer operation while carrying waste oil cargo. The tanker had low freeboard and unresolved defects, including an inoperative ballast pump, an underperforming generator, a corroded drain pipe in the engine room and a broken air-vent head on the port-side deck.

In moderate swell, seawater entered through deck openings and piping, flooded a port ballast tank and the engine room, and caused a progressive port list. The failure of both generators left the vessel without propulsion or steering. On 12 January, the master ordered abandonment as the list worsened. All eight crew members evacuated into a liferaft and were rescued safely without injury. Silver Sincere later capsized and sank off Pedra Branca.

TSIB classified the occurrence as a very serious marine casualty and concluded that the tanker was not fit for the intended voyage. The report attributes the sinking to unresolved maintenance defects and to the master's decision, aligned with company direction, to continue the voyage rather than insist on repairs before departure.

Sequence of events

Date/time	Event
2025-01-09	Silver Sincere departed Port Klang for a ship-to-ship waste-oil transfer operation.
2025-01-12	Seawater ingress caused a worsening port list and loss of propulsion and steering.
2025-01-12	The master ordered abandonment; all eight crew entered a liferaft and were rescued.
2025-01-12	Silver Sincere capsized and sank off Pedra Branca.

Contributing factors

Factor	Evidence status	Description
Unresolved maintenance defects	Confirmed finding	Defects including the ballast pump, generator, drain pipe and air-vent head allowed or worsened seawater ingress and reduced vessel capability.
Low freeboard	Confirmed finding	The vessel's low freeboard increased its vulnerability to seawater entering through deck openings in moderate swell.
Decision to continue the voyage	Confirmed finding	TSIB found that the voyage continued despite known defects that had not been repaired.

Investigation

The Transport Safety Investigation Bureau of Singapore published final report TIB/MAI/CAS.188 on 20 November 2025. It classified the event as a very serious marine casualty and concluded that the vessel was unfit for the intended voyage because unresolved defects and the decision to proceed led to flooding, loss of stability and sinking.

References

TSIB report record
TSIB final report TIB/MAI/CAS.188