A Cosco VLOC severely damaged following a crash off China is no stranger to casualties.
The 214,000-dwt Dong Fang Ocean (built 1986), which clashed with a supramax yesterday morning, has another infamous blot on its CV.
Long before starting life as a bulk carrier, the ship was a tanker known as the Exxon Valdez.
When it grounded on Bligh Reef at Prince William Sound in 1989 it spilled 37,000 tonnes of oil and secured an unwanted place in the history books. The Exxon Valdez oil spill is estimated to have caused $15bn in damages.
It is often referred to as one of the worst environmental disasters in history. However, it is only the 35th largest spill on record, according to the International Tanker Owners Pollution Federation.
The vessel ceased being known as the Exxon Valdez in July 1990, changing its name to the Exxon Mediterranean following repairs.
It then switched again to become the S/R Mediterranean but remained with Exxon unit SeaRiver Maritime until 1993. It was later called the Mediterranean.
It was bought by little-known Hong Kong Bloom Shipping in December 2007 for around $32m, who converted it into a bulk carrier.
Today the Dong Fang Ocean is again being tended to by salvage tugs, this time after crashing with the 53,500-dwt Aali (built 2009) off Shandong province.
