Belize-Flagged Tanker NEW DOLPHIN Detained in Tianjin

The oil/chemical tanker NEW DOLPHIN (IMO 9454137) was detained at the Chinese port of Tianjin following a Port State Control inspection conducted under the Tokyo MOU on 12 Sep 2026. Inspectors recorded 15 deficiencies in total, six of which were serious enough to be classified as detainable, prompting authorities to hold the vessel in port. The NEW DOLPHIN is a small tanker of 1,993 gross tonnage and 3,150 DWT, flagged in Belize and classified as an OILCHEM vessel for carrying both oil and chemical cargoes. Its ISM Company, responsible for the vessel's safety management, is CDC VIETNAM ENERGY COMPANY LIMITED. Detentions under the Tokyo MOU framework occur when inspectors identify deficiencies that pose a risk to the safety of the ship, its crew, or the environment, requiring rectification before the vessel is permitted to resume operations. The specific nature of the six detainable deficiencies was not disclosed in the inspection report. The vessel will remain under detention in Tianjin until the identified deficiencies are addressed to the satisfaction of port state control authorities and a follow-up inspection confirms compliance with applicable international safety and pollution prevention standards.