A Japanese tanker first thought to have been hit by an blast in the Strait of Hormuz Wednesday then said to have been struck by a huge wave arrived in the United Arab Emirates, a port official said.
The M.Star of the Mitsui OSK Lines arrived in Fujairah harbour under its own steam for repairs.
The official WAM news agency quoted an official as saying the tanker bore no external signs of any attack and that an investigation was underway to establish the causes of the incident, in which one crewman was slightly hurt.
"There is no proof that the tanker was attacked and no marks on the external parts of the boat to indicate an explosion," the official told WAM.
Earlier, UAE port authorities said the tanker was hit by a "high wave caused by a tremor," according to state news agency WAM.
Initially, Japan's transport ministry suspected an attack on the tanker.
"Since one of the crew saw a flash on the horizon immediately before the blast, the company suspects it was highly likely an attack," the ministry said.
It said one crew member was injured and the ship was partly damaged but able to keep sailing after the incident at 12:30 am (2030 GMT Tuesday).
The vessel -- crewed by 16 Filipinos and 15 Indians -- was carrying 270,000 tonnes of crude oil but did not suffer a spill.
It was heading to Chiba, near Tokyo.
Eiko Mizuno, a Mitsui spokeswoman in Tokyo, told AFP: "The crew member was not seriously injured. His arm was cut by shattered glass.
"The damage did not spark a fire of the oil inside the tanker. Further details have yet to become available as a full investigation will be launched once the tanker gets to the port."
The Strait of Hormuz, less than 100 kilometres (60 miles) at its widest point, separates Oman from Iran and is the gateway into the oil-rich Gulf.
Copyright 2010 AFP Global Edition
