On September 13, a serious maritime disaster occurred in the Java Sea, Indonesia. The ferry Virgo Transport 8 capsized, leaving more than 120 people missing. As a full investigation gets under way, the vessel’s registration status has become an early focus of scrutiny—for a vessel approved to operate the country’s coastal ferry routes, its age was already on the high side.

The Virgo Transport 8 (IMO 8625179) was built in 1987 and previously operated under another name on Japanese routes. Before-and-after modification photos provided by VesselFinder show that when the vessel was transferred to Indonesian service, major modifications were made to its starboard hull, including the installation of two side-loading ro-ro ramps near the bow and stern.

Indonesia’s Ministry of Trade had long required that imported passenger ships be no more than 15 years old. Lawmaker Sofwan Dedy Ardyanto said on social media this week that the vessel’s age was more than twice that cap, but the restriction may no longer have applied by the time it arrived. The strict age rule took effect in 2021 and was replaced by a looser set of new rules in March 2024.

According to publicly available port state control (PSC) records, the Virgo Transport 8 adopted its current name in June 2025 and was entered into the Indonesian flag registry in March 2026, both well after the local regulations were changed. Ardyanto urged the authorities to determine whether the relevant rules were complied with when the vessel was introduced to Indonesia.

Indonesian officials said that, in fact, it is currently unclear whether the vessel’s age played any role in the accident. Preliminary reports indicate that the vessel capsized after being struck by large waves. The investigation is still under way.