Singapore ferry with 165 passengers collides with tanker near Southern Islands

SINGAPORE — A Singapore-bound ferry carrying 165 passengers and seven crew members from Batam collided with a Marshall Islands-registered chemical tanker in Singapore waters on 10 November.

According to the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), the Singapore-registered passenger ferry Horizon 9 was heading towards HarbourFront Centre when it came into contact with the tanker La Digue at about 5pm near the Southern Islands.

MPA said a patrol craft was deployed to escort and guide the ferry back to HarbourFront Centre. All passengers and crew disembarked safely, with no reports of injury or fatalities.

Despite sustaining damage to its bow above the waterline, the ferry remained fully operational while returning to port. MPA confirmed that the tanker did not report any damage.

Passenger accounts shared on social media

A TikTok video widely shared online captured the tense moments before the collision. In the footage, recorded by passenger Tedi Arfandos, passengers can be heard reacting in alarm as a loud impact reverberated through the vessel.

@tedi.arfandos OMG 😔 Panik Wee 😱 Seumur hidup ga pernah se SPOT Jantung ini naik Kapal Ferry Batam - Singapura🇸🇬 ( Kejadian 10 Nov 2025 Jam 3 Sore ) #horizonferry #kapalhorizonbatam #horizonferrybatam ♬ original sound - Ko TED FU ✌️

MPA stated there were no reports of pollution or oil leakage, and navigational traffic and port operations were unaffected.

The Batam Port Authority (KSOP) said it is working closely with Horizon Ferry and MPA to investigate the cause of the collision. Both agencies are monitoring developments to ensure maritime safety in the busy Singapore Strait.