Crew Rescued After Abandoning Small MSC Boxship off Vietnam

Singapore’s Maritime Rescue Coordination Center is reporting that the crew of an MSC containership was rescued on September 22 after abandoning their vessel. The report indicates there were no injuries to the crew, but no details were provided on the circumstances that caused the crew to abandon ship.

The distress call was made around 08:45 local time in Singapore on September 22 from the MSC Hermes III. The 38,193 dwt vessel, which was built in 2006, was acquired by MSC in 2020. It is 212 meters (695 feet) in length with a capacity of 2,490 TEU. The ship had a crew of 25 aboard.

The ship had been sailing from Shanghai to Jakarta before returning to Singapore, according to MSC's onlien schedule. It was operating a regional feeder service.

The authorities in Singapore broadcast a request for nearby vessels to assist. The MSC Hermes III was in a busy shipping lane, approximately 160 nautical miles (300 km) east of Vietnam in a position north of Ho Chi Minh City. The Singapore MRCC said three vessels responded to the call, and the MSC Ruby, a larger 13,000 TEU vessel, was able to reach the area.

The crew of MSC Hermes III had abandoned the vessel to its lifeboat. They were recovered by the MSC Ruby, and the Singapore MRCC says arrangements are being made with the Vietnamese MRCC to land the crew.

The MSC Hermes III showed no significant issues on recent Port State inspections. Last year it was cited mostly for paperwork issues during an inspection in Le Havre, but otherwise has not been cited for issues on several recent inspections.

AIS signals appear to indicate that the vessel has remained afloat on Tuesday, and the MSC Ruby appears to be standing by. At least two other MSC containerships had been in the vicinity as well.

MSC has been contacted for a statement on the incident. It is unclear if a salvage effort is being launched.

There were several high-profile incidents with MSC vessels in 2025. The MSC Baltic III blacked out in February 2025 off Newfoundland, Canada, and the crew had to be airlifted off the ship. The vessel was driven ashore in a strong winter storm, and salvage efforts are still underway in Canada. Three months later, in May 2025, MSC Elsa 3 took on a list off the west coast of India. The crew was rescued from the vessel before it sank.

Top photo of MSC Hermes IIII in 2025 by Martin Krombeen, courtesy of VesselFinder