LPG vessel grounds in Pattaya
27 March 2025 - Written by ML
Overview
This report examines the grounding incident of the Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) tanker NP BANGPAKONG (IMO No: 9020455) on March 25, 2025. The investigation focuses on publicly available data regarding the vessel, primarily sourced from Equasis’s shipping information system.
Report method
The grounding of the vessel was initially reported by The Maritime Executive in an article published on (The Maritime Executive, 2025). Key details from the article include:
- The vessel grounded at 02:33 on March 25, 2025.
- The tanks were empty at the time of the incident.
- Deadweight tonnage (DWT): 3,996 tons.
- Built in 1991.
- Operating in Thailand since 2013.
- Vessel length: 100 meters (328 feet).
- Owned by SC Group Holding.
- Cause of grounding: Evasive maneuver to avoid a fishing boat.
- Company statement: Attributed to employee negligence.
- Initial damage assessment: Potential damage to ballast tanks.
- Hull construction: Double hull.
Investigative approach
1. IMO number verification
The latest data from the IACS database (International Association of Classification Societies (IACS), 2025) was reviewed to confirm the vessel’s IMO number..
| Imo | 9020455 |
| Ship Name | NP BANGPAKONG(06/10/23) |
| Class | NKK |
| Date Of Survey | 20190117 |
| Date Of Next Survey | 20240331 |
| Date Of Latest Status | 20211006 |
| Status | Withdrawn |
| Reason For The Status | Owner’s request for other reasons |
The vessel’s status was listed as Withdrawn at the owner’s request for other reasons.
2. Vessel record details
The Equasis website (Equasis, 2025) was consulted for detailed vessel information, including survey records and ownership details. As the owner had withdrawn the vessel from classification, detailed survey data was unavailable. The last classification survey was conducted in 2019 by NKK.
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| identification.imo_no | 9020455 |
| identification.ship_name | NP BANGPAKONG |
| identification.former_name | DL Azalea, Sea Horse, Silver Star, Leo I |
| identification.name_change_date | 2013-12-01 |
| identification.call_sign | HSB4909 |
| identification.MMSI | 567001650 |
| identification.dnv_id | NA |
| identification.status | In Service/Commission |
| identification.equasis_last_update | 2024-10-01 |
| registration.flag | Thailand |
| registration.former_flag | Malta, Korea (Republic of) |
| registration.flagchange_date | 2013-12-01 |
| registration.port | |
| registration.classification_society | Nil; Nippon Kaiji Kyokai withdrawn 2021-10-06 |
| technical.gross_tonnage | 3501 |
| technical.dead_weight_tonnage | 3996 |
| technical.ship_type | LPG Tanker |
| technical.dnv_type | |
| technical.structural_design | |
| technical.main_purpose | Liquefied petroleum gas carriage |
| technical.additional_purpose | |
| technical.regulatory_regime | |
| technical.hull_material | |
| technical.cargo_tanks | |
| construction.builder | |
| construction.hull_no | |
| construction.contract_date | |
| construction.keel_laid | |
| construction.launch_date | |
| construction.build_date | |
| construction.build_year | 1991 |
| dimensions.loa | NA |
| dimensions.lbp | NA |
| dimensions.lload | NA |
| dimensions.bext | NA |
| dimensions.b | NA |
| dimensions.d | NA |
| dimensions.draught | NA |
| dimensions.freeboard | NA |
| dimensions.gt_itc69 | NA |
| dimensions.nt_itc69 | NA |
| dimensions.gt_pre69 | NA |
| dimensions.nt_pre69 | NA |
| equipment.anchor_length | NA |
| equipment.anchor_diam | NA |
| equipment.anchor_mat_quality | |
| equipment.pump_capacity | NA |
| equipment.ballast_capacity | NA |
| equipment.bal_cap_units | m3 |
| equipment.propeller_type | |
| equipment.thruster | |
| machinery.main_propulsion | |
| machinery.propulsion_engine | |
| machinery.emergency_gen_engine | |
| machinery.main_generator_engine | |
| machinery.aux_boiler | |
| management.reg_owner | SC Group Holding Co Ltd |
| management.owner_date_from | 2013-12-18 |
| management.ship_comm_mgr | SC management Co Ltd |
| management.ism_mgr | SC Management Co Ltd |
| management.imo_no_shipmgr | 1555281 |
| management.imo_no_owner | 5783770 |
| management.imo_no_ism_mgr | 1555281 |
| management.p_and_i_info | The Ship owners’ Mutual P&I Association (Luxembourg) |
| management.inception_date | 2016-02-20 |
| surveys.latest_survey_date | 2019-01-17 |
| surveys.prior_survey_date | 2014-04-01 |
| surveys.latestdate_sea_sanitaryvalveopen |
3. Geographic data analysis
Equasis provided geographical data points from October 2013 to March 2025, primarily indicating the vessel’s presence in Southeast Asia. Exceptions include two data points in January 2014 and October 2013, where the vessel was registered in East Asia. The source for this geographical data is MarineTraffic.
4. Visual documentation
Visual documentation, including images and video, was sourced from YouTube.
Overview
Starboard no spill
Starboard
Bow
Port no spill
Port