Aristotle Onassis of his fleet, while having trouble managing their own fleets, which operated under US flags and thus at high cost. The high profitability of the Onassis fleet has been attributed in large part to his disregard for standards that normally govern international shipping. For example, after his Liberian registered tanker SS Arrow ran aground and spilled oil into Chedabucto Bay in 1970, still the most significant oil spill off Canada’s East Coast (about 25% of the amount spilled by the Exxon Valdez in Alaska in 1989), there was a Commission of Inquiry. Led by Dr Patrick McTaggart-Cowan, executive director of
SS Wafra oil spill record as the world's largest salvage tugs. SS Wafra oil spill The SS "Wafra" oil spill occurred on 27 February 1971, when SS "Wafra", an oil tanker, ran aground while under tow near Cape Agulhas, South Africa. Approximately 200,000 barrels of crude oil were leaked into the ocean. The larger part of the ship was refloated, towed out to sea, and then sunk by the South African Air Force to prevent further oil contamination of the coastline. "Wafra" left Ras Tanura in Saudi Arabia on 12 February 1971 bound for Cape Town, South Africa, with a cargo of (63,174 tonnes)