During the night of December 7 to 8, the very large crude carrier (VLCC) Samco Europe and a container ship were involved in a collision in international waters south of Bab el-Mandeb Strait, in the Gulf of Aden. Built by a South Korean shipyard, the Samco Europe is a new, double-hulled oil tanker delivered in April 2007. It is carrying a cargo of crude oil from the Persian Gulf to Europe.

The collision did not cause any injuries or pollution. The structural damage was confined to the Samco Europe’s bow, and the cargo tanks were not affected.

Owned by Samco, the ship flies the French flag and is operated by V.SHIPS France. The tanker is under time charter to Total, which owns the cargo it carries.

After steering southeast at low speed, the Samco Europe is currently stabilized away from traffic in this area and is waiting for the vessel’s owner and operator to complete arrangements for operations to lighten the cargo.