The crew of the oil tanker MSC Hermes III was rescued on September 22, 2026. This incident occurred near Vietnam under circumstances that forced the crew to abandon the ship. Reports indicate that none of the crew members were injured, but details regarding the reasons for abandoning the ship are not available.
Incident Details
An emergency call from the MSC Hermes III was made at 08:45 local time in Singapore. This oil tanker, with a capacity of 38,193 tons, was built in 2006 and transferred to MSC in 2020. The length of the ship is 212 meters (695 feet) and its capacity is 2,490 TEU. There were 25 people on board.
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The MSC Hermes III was returning to Singapore from a journey from Shanghai to Jakarta. This ship was part of regional transport services and was located approximately 160 nautical miles (300 kilometers) east of Vietnam and north of Ho Chi Minh City in a busy maritime route.
Rescue Operation
Singaporean authorities issued a request for assistance from nearby ships, and in response, three vessels answered the call. Among these ships, MSC Ruby, a large vessel with a capacity of 13,000 TEU, was able to reach the incident area. The crew of MSC Hermes III used their lifeboat to reach MSC Ruby, and Singaporean authorities are currently coordinating with the Vietnam Maritime Rescue Center for the transfer of the crew.
Recent inspections of MSC Hermes III indicated no serious issues. Last year, this ship was noted during an inspection in Le Havre for documentation issues, but no problems were reported in recent inspections.
AIS signals indicate that the ship is still afloat, and MSC Ruby is currently monitoring its status. At least two other MSC vessels were also nearby.
MSC has been contacted for a statement regarding this incident, but it is still unclear whether any further rescue efforts are underway.
In 2025, similar incidents involving MSC ships occurred internationally. For example, the MSC Baltic III experienced a blackout near Newfoundland, Canada, in February 2025, and the crew had to evacuate. Additionally, the MSC Elsa 3 faced issues off the western coast of India in May 2025, and the crew was rescued before the ship sank.
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