Nine Chinese seamen were missing as fire crews battled a blaze aboard a Taiwanese oil tanker carrying 58,000 tonnes of naphtha fuel in the Malacca Strait after it was in collision with another ship.

"The MT Formosa Product Brick is on fire and is now listing on its left side. We fear it may sink," said Rizal Ramli, a Malaysian marine police chief.

The tanker and a Greek-managed bulk carrier collided off Port Dickson, about 100 kilometers south of Kuala Lumpur, in clear weather on Tuesday night. Sixteen crew members, mainly Chinese, were rescued.

The police chief of the southern state of Negeri Sembilan, Osman Saleh, said the ship, with 58,000 tonnes of naphtha, was heading for South Korea via Singapore.

Some oil had been spilled and dozens of maritime officials and 11 boats and two helicopters were battling the blaze.

Osman said the burning tanker, which was coming from the United Arab Emirates, is not a threat to other ships in the strait and is not disrupting traffic.

Maritime officials said the bulk carrier MV Ostende Max, flying the Isle of Man flag, hit the side of the tanker. It was ordered to berth for investigations.

Story: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE