More Than Just Ship Age: The Chain of Maritime Safety That Must Be Maintained
SURABAYA, KOMPAS.com – The KMP Virgo Transport 8 tragedy serves as a reminder that maritime safety extends beyond whether a vessel is still fit to operate or is simply old.
There is an extensive chain that must be properly maintained from the moment a ship leaves port until it reaches its destination.
On September 12, 2026, KMP Virgo Transport 8 was carrying 243 people on its Surabaya-Banjarmasin route.
The ship subsequently encountered severe weather and lost contact on September 13 at around 2:00 a.m. Central Indonesia Time, before being found capsized in the Masalembu waters of the Java Sea.
By the fifth day of the SAR operation, Thursday (September 17, 2026) at 10:00 p.m. Central Indonesia Time, Basarnas confirmed 114 victims had been found, including 108 survivors and six fatalities. The remaining 129 people are still being searched for.
Amid the ongoing process, the age of the ship has become a widely discussed issue.
However, the National Maritime Transportation Expert from Sepuluh Nopember Institute of Technology (ITS), Ir Tri Achmadi PhD, reminded that the cause of accidents cannot be attributed to a single factor before investigations are complete.
According to him, a ship's seaworthiness should be assessed from two main aspects: design and operation.
These include the condition of materials, maintenance, inspections, and how the vessel is operated during its voyages.
“Without data, we cannot draw conclusions about the cause. If the design is good and maintenance is well-managed, any age can be considered fit for operation,” Tri said to journalists including Kompas.com.
Conversely, a relatively new ship still requires appropriate design, periodic maintenance, and operation in accordance with safety standards.
He also explained that both Indonesian and Japanese maritime operations adhere to international maritime safety regulations, including those of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS).
Therefore, technical data and investigation results must form the basis for identifying the true cause of any accident.
Dokumentasi Pribadi Chairman of the National Association of River, Lake, and Ferry Transport Entrepreneurs (Gapasdap) Khoiri Soetomo and National Maritime Transportation Expert from Sepuluh Nopember Institute of Technology (ITS), Ir. Tri Achmadi, Ph.D., provide a statement regarding the KMP Virgo Transport 8 tragedy in Surabaya, East Java, Saturday afternoon (19/9/2026).
For him, a critical point in safety systems is actually at the port.
Before departure, technical conditions, cargo capacity, the placement of goods and vehicles, and their securing must comply with regulations.
