Middle EastOperationsTankers

Charred New Diamond arrives in the UAE

The charred New Diamond VLCC has made its way to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) after a long journey under tow across the Indian Ocean.

Photos obtained by Splash show the vessel arriving at anchorage in Fujairah on Sunday morning. The 20-year-old tanker’s cargo of crude will be removed and shipped onward to client, Indian Oil Corp, while the badly burnt ship is likely to be deemed too old to warrant repairs with experts suggesting it will head for demolition.

The fully laden New Shipping-controlled tanker suffered a boiler explosion on September 2, resulting in a sizeable fire centred around its accommodation block. India and Sri Lanka deployed significant resources to douse the blaze.

Another damaged tanker in the headlines is the Syra aframax, which hit a mine in Yemeni waters on October 2, incurring significant damage. The ship, owned by Thanassis Martinos-led Eastern Mediterranean Maritime (Eastmed), was refused to berth in the UAE and has now headed for Qatar for repairs.

Sam Chambers

Starting out with the Informa Group in 2000 in Hong Kong, Sam Chambers became editor of Maritime Asia magazine as well as East Asia Editor for the world’s oldest newspaper, Lloyd’s List. In 2005 he pursued a freelance career and wrote for a variety of titles including taking on the role of Asia Editor at Seatrade magazine and China correspondent for Supply Chain Asia. His work has also appeared in The Economist, The New York Times, The Sunday Times and The International Herald Tribune.
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