The bulk carrier Merchant Mariner, carrying 174,614 tonnes of iron ore from Malaysia to Vietnam, began taking on water while approaching the port of Dung Quat.
On 18 September, the crew discovered water entering three port-side ballast tanks — numbers 4, 5 and 6. The vessel was approximately 15 nautical miles from the Dung Quat anchorage at the time. Authorities initially assessed that it may have struck a submerged reef, but the cause of the damage has not yet been confirmed.
The flooding caused a slight list, and the vessel settled deeper in the water. By the evening of 18 September, its draught measured 18.87 metres at the bow, 19.28 metres amidships and 19.69 metres at the stern.
All 24 crew members are safe. According to local authorities, no water has entered the cargo holds, and no signs of marine pollution have been detected.
The Quang Ngai Maritime Administration instructed the shipowner and master to prepare an emergency response plan and assess the condition of the hull. The crew was told to close the fuel tank valves, while a tug was placed on permanent standby alongside the vessel.
The shipowner, master and Hoa Phat Dung Quat Steel, the cargo recipient, must agree on a safe plan for unloading the ore. Discharge can begin only after the vessel’s condition has been assessed and the relevant authorities have approved the plan.
At the time of the latest report, Merchant Mariner remained under observation near Dung Quat as responders monitored the vessel and prepared their next steps.
