In the early hours of October 15, 2025, tragedy struck the bustling shipyards of Batam, Indonesia. The oil tanker MT Federal II, docked for repairs at a facility in Riau province, suddenly erupted into flames, leaving a trail of devastation and raising urgent questions about safety standards in the maritime industry. According to Caliber.Az and AFP, at least ten workers lost their lives and 18 others suffered serious injuries in the inferno that engulfed the vessel. The incident has cast a long shadow over Batam’s vital ship repair sector and brought renewed scrutiny to the tanker’s troubled recent history.
Police Chief Zaenal Arifin, speaking to AFP, detailed the harrowing timeline of events. The blaze broke out around 4:30 a.m. local time (2130 GMT on October 14), as most of the city still slept. Sparks were reportedly seen inside a storage area of the MT Federal II just before the fire erupted. Within moments, the flames spread rapidly through the vessel’s compartments. Emergency services responded with urgency, but the scale and intensity of the fire made rescue efforts perilous and complicated. "The scale of the blaze made rescue efforts challenging," Chief Arifin told reporters, capturing the chaos and danger faced by first responders.
The fire was finally subdued about an hour after it began, but by then, the damage had been done. Ten workers, many of them skilled laborers engaged in ship maintenance, perished in the disaster. Eighteen others, suffering from burns and smoke inhalation, were rushed to four nearby hospitals for emergency treatment. Authorities have described their injuries as serious, and the full extent of the trauma—physical and psychological—remains to be seen.
Remarkably, the tanker was not carrying oil cargo at the time of the incident. Chief Arifin confirmed to AFP that the MT Federal II had been emptied ahead of the scheduled repair work, a fact that likely prevented an even greater catastrophe. Still, the presence of residual gases and flammable materials on board may have contributed to the rapid escalation of the fire. The cause of the blaze is currently under investigation, with police and safety officials combing through the charred remains for clues.
For those familiar with the MT Federal II, this week’s tragedy has a chilling sense of déjà vu. In June 2025—less than five months ago—a similar fire broke out aboard the same vessel, also while it was undergoing repairs. That earlier incident, as reported by AFP, claimed the lives of four workers. Investigators later determined that sparks had ignited residual gas in a storage area that had not been fully cleared, leading to the deadly blaze. In the aftermath, two health and safety workers from the shipyard were named as suspects, accused of failing to ensure proper safety protocols were followed. The June fire occurred in a different part of the vessel, but the echoes of that disaster are impossible to ignore.
“It was the second fatal fire aboard the same vessel in less than five months,” Chief Arifin stated, underscoring the alarming pattern. The fact that two deadly incidents have occurred on the same ship in such a short span has raised serious concerns among industry observers and labor advocates. Many are now asking: How could such a tragedy happen again, and what lessons—if any—were learned from the previous incident?
Batam is no stranger to the risks inherent in ship repair and maintenance. As a major industrial hub near Singapore, the island’s shipyards are a cornerstone of Indonesia’s maritime economy, providing jobs for thousands and servicing vessels from across the region. Yet, the twin disasters aboard the MT Federal II have exposed potential cracks in the safety culture that underpins this vital industry. Shipyard workers, often laboring in confined spaces filled with hazardous materials, rely on rigorous safety protocols to protect their lives. When those systems fail, the consequences can be swift and deadly.
According to Caliber.Az, the injured workers were taken to the hospital with serious injuries, and the full impact on their families and the wider community is only beginning to emerge. The loss of ten lives in a single incident is a staggering blow, not just to the victims’ loved ones but to the entire Batam shipyard workforce. Social media in Indonesia has been awash with condolences and calls for accountability, as the hashtag #KapalTankerTerbakar trended in the wake of the tragedy.
Authorities have pledged a thorough investigation into the cause of the fire. While initial reports point to sparks in a storage area as the likely ignition source, officials are not ruling out other possibilities. The fact that the MT Federal II was not carrying oil at the time suggests that even vessels deemed "safe" for repair can harbor hidden dangers. Chief Arifin emphasized that the investigation would leave no stone unturned, with a focus on both immediate causes and systemic issues that may have contributed to the disaster.
Industry experts say the back-to-back tragedies on the MT Federal II may prompt a broader review of shipyard safety standards across Indonesia. The June incident led to criminal charges against two health and safety workers, but it’s unclear whether additional reforms were implemented in the months since. The recurrence of a fatal fire on the same vessel suggests that deeper problems may persist, whether in training, equipment, or oversight.
For now, the shipyard community in Batam is grappling with grief and uncertainty. The families of those killed and injured are demanding answers, and unions are calling for immediate action to prevent further loss of life. The Indonesian government has come under pressure to step up inspections and enforce stricter safety measures, not just in Batam but at shipyards nationwide. As the investigation unfolds, many hope that the hard lessons of the MT Federal II will finally spur meaningful change.
It’s a sobering reminder that, even in an era of technological advancement, the work of repairing and maintaining ships remains fraught with risk. For the workers of Batam, the events of October 15 will not soon be forgotten. Their sacrifice has brought urgent attention to the need for vigilance, accountability, and a renewed commitment to safety in one of Indonesia’s most important industries.