Frontline has ruled out a problem with its tanker Front Altair as a cause of the explosion that set the ship ablaze in the Middle East Gulf on Thursday.
Crew abandoned the 110,000-dwt LR2 (built 2016) following an apparent torpedo attack.
Frontline Management CEO Robert Hvide MacLeod told TradeWinds the company “of course will take an active role in the thorough investigation that now will follow.
"We rule out that something with the tanker caused the explosion.”
He added that the owner still does not know the cause of the blast that hit the ship.
Manager ITM has reported on Friday that all 23 crew were heading to Bandar Abbas in Iran for repatriation.
The fire on board has been extinguished and the tanker is currently drifting away from land, MacLeod added.
One rescue boat is already at the scene and another plus a tug are due on Saturday.
Representatives from Frontline will also arrive on Saturday.
Front Altair was carrying a spot cargo of naphtha for trading house Ocean Energy.
The cargo is highly explosive, but the bombs used in the attack appear to have been small, brokers said.
