KM Virgo Transport 8 Modified: What About Its Seaworthiness?

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - The search for victims of the KM Virgo Transport 8, which capsized and sank in the Masalembo waters of the Java Sea, is still ongoing.

Amid the ongoing search efforts, new facts have emerged regarding the vessel's condition. In addition to reports that the ship listed heavily to the starboard side after being hit by large waves in rough weather, KM Virgo Transport 8 was also found to have been modified.

The Japanese-built Roll-on/Roll-off (Ro-Ro) ship, constructed in 1987, was 39 years old at the time of the accident. It was carrying 243 people and 89 vehicles.

According to the manifest, the 243 persons comprised 30 crew members, 27 partners, 60 passengers, and 126 drivers with their assistants.

The Minister of Transportation stated the ship’s capacity was about 500 people. Thus, in terms of passenger numbers, KM Virgo Transport 8 was not overloaded.

New findings: KM Virgo Transport 8 underwent modifications

On the eighth day of searching, Harian Kompas uncovered that KM Virgo Transport 8 operating the Surabaya-Banjarmasin route had undergone changes from its original design and purpose.

The vessel was modified by adding a ramp door on the side.

Additionally, two extra access doors were installed on the starboard side. KM Virgo Transport 8 had also undergone repairs at a shipyard in Batam.

Digital tracking revealed that KM Virgo Transport 8 was formerly named Feri Kurushima. It previously served as a ferry on the Matsuyama-Kokura route in Japan.

Maritime transport expert and Deputy Chairman of the MTI Sea Transport Forum, Rakhmatika Ardianto, explained that ship design changes do not automatically render a ship unseaworthy or cause accidents.

“Every ship modification undergoes a process of technical calculations, approval, supervision, and stability testing,” Rakhmatika said on Sunday (20/9/2026).

He added, “Owners are not allowed to arbitrarily alter ship construction. There are design drawings, technical calculations, approvals, and supervision carried out by the Directorate of Shipping and Shipping Affairs at the Directorate General of Sea Transportation and the Indonesian Classification Bureau (BKI).”

Rakhmatika pointed out that this mechanism refers to Ministerial Regulation Number 54 of 2021 concerning the Approval of Ship Design Drawings, Implementation, and Supervision of Shipbuilding and Repair.

Under that regulation, modifications or overhauls must be accompanied by drawings and calculations before starting work.

“After completion, a re-assessment of ship stability is conducted through an inclining test by BKI,” explained the alumnus of the Shipbuilding Engineering Department at Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS).