The Exxon Valdez tanker, which was involved in one of the worst U. S. oil spills near Alaska, has been cleared to be dismantled in Gujarat in India.

The country's apex court, the Supreme Court of India has given permission to the ship operators to dock the ship near Alang, which is the country's hub for the ship breaking industry. A two-judge bench headed by Altamas Kabir said that the 213,000-tonne tanker can anchor at Alang. However, it also said that the ship owners will have to pay for any toxic materials found during the dismantling.

The ship, which is now named Oriental Nicety, arrived in Indian territorial waters in May. The ship was not allowed to anchor at Alang after an environmental activist filed a petition in the apex court claiming that the ship contained toxic materials.

Exxon Valdez had rammed into rocks in Alaska's ecologically sensitive Prince William Sound in 1989 and spilled millions of gallons of oil into the waters, causing remarkable damage to the ecology in the area. The tanker was converted into ore-carrying vessel after the Alaska accident and was recently purchased by Alang-based Blue Oasis, a subsidiary of Priya Blue Industries led by Sanjay Mehta.

The ship was reportedly purchased from China-based COSCO Shanghai Ship Management company for around $16 million.