MV M. Star
| History | |
|---|---|
 Marshall Islands | |
| Completed | 2008 |
| Status | In service |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Crude oil tanker |
| Tonnage | |
| Length | 333.00 m (1,092 ft 6 in) |
| Crew | 31 |
M. Star is a VLCC oil tanker operated by the Japanese company Mitsui O.S.K. Lines. It was launched in December 2008 and gained international media attention in 2010, when an explosion occurred on board. There was speculations to the cause of the explosion but it was later claimed as an terrorist attack by the Abdullah Azzam Brigades[1][2].
Background
The M. Star was built by Kawasaki Heavy Industries Sakaide Works in Kagawa, Japan and launched in December 2008[3]. It is Japanese-operated by the company Mitsui O.S.K. Lines and registred under the flag of the Marshall Islands[4]. M. Star is a VLCC oil tanker serving oil terminals in Asia.
In 2008 it was build with one of the largest capacities that can pass through the narrow Strait of Malacca[3].
The bombing in 2010
The M. Star was damaged by an explosion in July of 2010, injuring one member of the ship's crew[5]. M. Star was sailing through the Strait of Hormuz when the explosion occurred. The explosion left a dent in the hull and damaged corridors and sleeping quarters[2].
The UAE initially said the M. Star was damaged by a "freak wave" from an earthquake but Mitsui officials dismissed this theory along with speculations on the ship colliding with a US submarine. They claimed that the explosion was caused by an external force. A few days after the bombing, the Abdullah Azzam Brigades, a terrorist group with links to al-Qaeda claimed responsibility for the incident by releasing a photo of the claimed bomber in front of a picture of the MV[5][2][6].
In August, the UAE said the blast was probably caused by an attack, possibly a suicide bomber in a speedboat. Radar had picked up a suspicious craft near the tanker just before the attack, and traces of explosives were found on the hull.[7] On November 22, 2010, the United States Maritime Administration confirmed that the blast was the result of a terrorist attack[8].
There were no oil leakages after the incident, and the M. Star continued on its journey to Japan[2]
References
- ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2011-07-22. Retrieved 2010-07-29.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - 1 2 3 4 McCurry, Justin (2010-08-06). "Japanese oil tanker hit by terrorist bomb, say inspectors". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2026-08-05.
- 1 2 "VLCC M.STAR Delivered | Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd". global.kawasaki.com. Retrieved 2026-08-05.
- ↑ BalticShipping.com. "BalticShipping.com". www.balticshipping.com. Retrieved 2026-08-05.
- 1 2 "Incident involving the VLCC M. STAR, west of the Strait of Hormuz". Archived from the original on 2010-07-31. Retrieved 2010-07-29.
- ↑ Japanese tanker damaged near Oman
- ↑ Terror theory backed by tanker ‘black box’[link removed]
- ↑ U.S. warns ships of confirmed terror threat CNN.com, November 22, 2010