On March 31, the 229 meter long, 82000 dwt bulk carrier Ever Judger caught fire while anchored off Borneo near Balikpanan, Indonesia. The Ever Judger had completed loading some 70,000 tons of coal and was preparing to depart for Lumut. At the same time, a crew was working off a jetty near the Chevron Terminal. The workers spotted a fuel oil spill in the water and attempted to clear up the spill by igniting it. The oil slick quickly engulfed in flames reaching up to 6 feet above the water. The burning slick drifted until it reached the port side of the Ever Judger. Authorities dispatched tugs hoping to prevent the bulk carrier from catching fire while the 20 crew on the Ever Judger evacuated. The tugs were only slightly effective as the port hull and superstructure sustained significant damage.
One crewman on the Ever Judger was injured by the flames requiring treatment. Reports state two fishermen perished from the fire and three more were reported as missing. Authorities have begun spraying the area with oil dispersants to breakup the pollution. Authorities have also launched an investigation into the source of the fuel oil spilled into the water. Reports state the fuel oil was not a product produced at the nearby terminal.
