Splash247: MSC ship abandoned and adrift in South China Sea

Published by Splash247

The troubled MSC Hermes III remains afloat and drifting unmanned in the South China Sea after all 25 crew abandoned the vessel yesterday.

A fresh HYDROPAC navigational warning describes the 20-year-old containership as a “derelict” vessel adrift near 11°45’N 112°15’E, around 300 km east of Vietnam. The warning is currently scheduled to remain in force until September 25.

The new position is around eight nautical miles northeast of where the 2,490 teu ship issued its distress alert early on Tuesday, confirming that the vessel did not sink following the evacuation.

There is also, as yet, no official confirmation of reports that the ship suffered a fire.

Singapore’s Maritime and Port Authority said its Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre received a distress alert from the Liberia-flagged vessel at about 08.45 Singapore time on September 22. Three ships responded to the call, with the 13,000 teu MSC Ruby recovering all 25 crew from a lifeboat after they abandoned ship. No injuries were reported.

AIS information subsequently showed MSC Hermes III drifting northeast, with MSC Ruby remaining nearby. The MSC Florentina and MSC Turin III were also reported in the vicinity.

What caused the emergency remains unclear. Neither Singapore authorities nor MSC has publicly detailed the casualty, while there has been no confirmed announcement yet of towage or salvage arrangements.

The 38,193 dwt MSC Hermes III was built in Poland in 2006 and measures 212 m long. MSC acquired the ship in 2020. It had sailed from Hong Kong after an earlier call at Shanghai and was heading for Jakarta when the emergency occurred.