Very Large Crude Carrier Aground in Java Sea

Pictured here is the MT Alice, sister vessel to the MT Alex. Photo: Euronav

A very large crude carrier belonging to Belgian tanker company Euronav ran aground Wednesday while carrying a cargo of crude oil through the Java Sea, but the ship manager says the vessel is in good condition even as it remains stuck in the mud.

Euronav Ship Management confirmed Thursday that their 299,446 dwt VLCC Alex was involved in a grounding incident on Wednesday, April 12 at approximately 10:15 UTC.

The Belgium-flagged MT Alex, which is laden with oil, was sailing in the waters between the Borneo and Sumatra on its way to China, when she apparently ran aground on a “soft mud bottom”, Euronav said in a statement. No injuries or pollution have been reported, and the vessel is said to be “safely aground” in good weather.

“No breach of hull, water ingress or mechanical failure are apparent in the assessment made by the crew, while the Class surveyor is expected to board as soon as possible,” the statement said.

With a fleet of 47 vessels comprising mostly VLCCs and Suezmaxes, NYSE-listed Euronav is the world’s largest independent crude oil tanker company. Built in 2016 by South Korea’s Hyundai Heavy Industries, the MT Alex one of its newest and largest ships.

“The emergency team is assessing the options for refloating the vessel,” Euronav said, adding that it has activated an emergency response plan and notified all relevant authorities.

AIS data shows the MT Alex was underway from Ras Tanura in Saudi Arabia to Ningbo, China.

The MT Alex measures 333 meters in length and has a draft of 21.6 meters. The vessel is 100% owned by Eurnav and operates on the SPOT market.

Euronav actually owns the world’s biggest crude oil tanker, the TI-Europe, which has a deadweight of  441,561 tonnes. 

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