On the night of March 12, 2025, a Brazilian oil tanker experienced a loss of control while maneuvering in the Port of Santos. This resulted in the tanker colliding with a pier and three Brazilian Navy patrol boats, reports Marine Insight.
Mechanical Failure
A mechanical failure, specifically a jammed rudder, caused a tanker to collide with a pier and several navy patrol boats at the Port of Santos.
The 249-meter Aframax tanker, carrying 50,000 liters of fuel oil, lost steering control around 11:20 p.m. while navigating between two piers.
The tanker first struck a pier and then collided with a navy patrol boat, which subsequently crashed into two other moored patrol boats. The patrol boats involved were the Guajara and Guapore (Grajau class) and the Maracana (Macae class).
The Grajau class patrol boats are smaller and armed with cannons, while the Macae class boat is larger and carries similar weaponry.
Acidente no Porto de Santos.
Navio colide com cais e navios da Marinha.
Acidente ocorreu após um problema no leme do navio petroleiro Olavo Bilac, que transportava 50 mil toneladas de óleo combustível. pic.twitter.com/GJksPvUtSr
— Amazoni@zul🇧🇷 (@AmazoniaAzulBR) March 13, 2025
Under Investigation
A Brazilian naval officer was injured in the leg during the collision and received hospital treatment before being discharged.
Tugs secured the tanker, and moved it back to the Alemoa 1 pier. An inspection revealed a large scrape on the hull, but no oil spill.
The pier, controlled by the Brazilian Navy, sustained structural damage, and companies are waiting for clearance to access the area.
The vessel was detained in Santos for further investigation, canceling its planned departure to Rio de Janeiro. Security camera footage and onboard recordings of the incident have been released online, showing the tanker’s loss of control and subsequent collisions.
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Source: Marine Insight
