VLCC M. Star damaged -Reports

This page contains kanji.

VLCC M Star. damaged


Damaged skin of hull	Passing in Uraga

A UAE Coast Guard Official told that UAE Coast Guard found remains of explosive in the M. Star, and the ship might be attacked by a boat. The most narrow part of the Holmuz Strait is 33 km width. Tsugaru Strait is The Asahi Newspapers wrote on 6 August 2010^[1]. The M. Star left for Chiba in Japan after inspection of UAE on 6 August and passed Uraga Channel at 11 am on 24 August^[2][3]. It took 19 days during the voyage. 19 days is usual time. It seems that there is no damage of power. She ferried crude oil of 270 thousand ton. I looked into important the sea lane. If crude oil density is 0.85,

⁶

Japan imported crude oil of 3.67 Mbbl/day in 2009. 87 % of it was from Persian Gulf countries, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Iran, Quatar and Kuwait. So, crude oil of 3.19 Mbbl/day crossed the Indian Ocean. So, 1.60 ships/day came to Japan.

1/1.60 = 0.626day/ship = 15.0 hour/ship One VLCC came to Japan in 15 hour every time. How many VLCCs were in line to Japan? Voyage distance and speed are 6,800 nm and 15 kt. So,

If a warship escorted the VLCC, it would be impossibe considering the distance. Even military aircraft would be diffcult to cover 2 ships at the same time. Therefore convoy is effective to escort. Ah, 30 VLCCs were in line. It was necessary of 60 VLCCs at least, ignoring load-unload and maintanace. VLCC works 355 day/year^[4]. VLCC is full of crude oil in 30 hours, when loading^[9].

Next, did it happen to be damaged aft? I think they would attack propellar or rudder to lose running ability or power. VLCC usually accerates at 15 kt in 9 hours. The cargo is value of $160 million in case of $80/bbl. Chargs of VLCC spot sharply changed at $200,000/day from $50,000^[5].

Indoor Bent skin

The damage of the M. Star is 6 m height over water and 16 m under water. The maximun deflection is 1 m. The skin is 20 mm thick. I think that the center of defection is under water. Was the explosion under water? Watching damage of the cabin, it looks the explosion was in air. FNN news wrote, as follows,

中東のホルムズ海峡で船体が損傷し、テロによる攻撃を受けた可能性が指摘されている商船三井のタンカーが、積み荷の原油を降ろすため、千葉港に寄港する。商船三井のタンカー「M・STAR(エムスター)」は、24日午前10時半現在、東京湾に向けて航行している。「M・STAR」は7月28日、原油27万トンを積んでホルムズ海峡を横断中、船体後部の右側で爆発が起き、損傷した。損傷部分は、海面上で縦およそ6メートル、横およそ11メートル、水面下では縦およそ16メートル、横およそ23メートルに及び、厚さ2cmの鋼鉄製の船体が最大1メートルへこんでいるという。千葉港に停泊後は、損傷の原因を調査している国土交通省を中心とした調査委員会のメンバーが、損傷個所の検証や乗組員への聞き取りを行う予定。

I knew that skin of VLCC was 20 mm thick. Frames are fewer than I thought. A VLCC is like a paper box. Japan spends crude oil of the M. Star capacity in 15 hours only. A site shows a lot of beautiful Japanese merchant ships^[6]. We can see welded seams of M. Star. The United States shipbuilt a lot of merchant ships in WWII. Newly developed welding technology supported the high productivity that common workers could weld, while Japan worried about shortage of skilled workers.

M. Star stays at Chiba with empty

Towed by tugboat Welded seam Big hull Beautiful Curvature

EU import of crude oil 2001
Region Mbbl/day

Russia 3.67

Middle East 3.55

Africa 2.66

EU 6.80

Total 16.68

IJN failed to escort Japanese merchant ships from Singapore to Japan in the Pacific War. Now JMSDF actions off Somalira. I hope that JMSDF plans escorting merchant ships in Persian Gulf. Because Japan depends on 87 % of crude oil passing the Hormuz Strait, while US is 15 % by EIA. EU depends on 21 % in the Middle East in 2001^[10]. UAE Coast Guard and Navy have 13 only warships by Wikipedia. I think that 1/3 of them are always in duty. One vessel may defend port itself. Only 3 vessels cand escort a lot of VLCC, can't they? There are more than 500 VLCC in the world. UAE has an arsenal and began trainning Coast Guard recently^[7][8]. I hope them 10 years later, as Japan developed her arsenal and Navy in Meiji Restoration. Does Japanese people know GCC well? Once Japanese military bureaucrats began the Pacific War in spite of dependence of US oil. They spoke of Jison-jiei. Now Japan depends on GCC far away 6,800 nm. How do Asian nations think the security to import GCC crude oil? 17 Mbbl/day of crude oil passed the the Holmuz Strait in 2010. Its 20% was for Japan.^[11]

[1] Tanker sonshou wa "terro kougeki" UAE no tsushinsha
[2] Oil tanker damaged in Persian Gulf; cause disputed
[3] Sonshou tanker, Tokyo-wan ni touchaku UAE kara koukou
[4] Shisan
[5] Senshubetsu market
[6] Naiko.com
[7] UAE coastguard academy opens
[8] Abu Dhabi Ship Building (ADSB)
[9] Genyu tsumikomi sagyou
[10] EU no energy seisaku
[11] 日本の生命線、ホルムズ海峡の封鎖を阻止せよ