Nantong maritime safety officials received a circular from their Fujian counterparts on 8 September, informing them that a Singapore flagged vessel carrying 9,000 tons of palm oil heading for Nantong collided with a Chinese fishing vessel two days earlier and fled the scene. When the vessel in question arrived in Nantong, city maritime officials went on board only to find that it had been painted over in an attempt to eradicate evidence of the collision. After several days of investigation by the officials, the captain admitted the offence and on 14 September instructed his lawyer to fax to the authorities that he accepted full responsibility for the accident.

It is not yet known how the officials will conclude the case.