Merchant Mariner ore carrier encounters water ingress near Dung Quat

The Greek-flagged vessel Merchant Mariner, carrying over 174,000 tons of iron ore from Malaysia, encountered a technical issue approximately 15 nautical miles from the Dung Quat anchorage in Quang Ngai, Vietnam.

On September 18, the crew detected water ingress into port ballast tanks number 4, 5, and 6 on the port side, causing the vessel to tilt by approximately 5 degrees. The ship, which has a deadweight tonnage of nearly 180,000 DWT, is carrying over 3,000 tons of fuel oil (FO) and 200 tons of diesel oil (DO).

Local authorities, including the Quang Ngai Maritime Administration and the Border Guard, are coordinating with the captain, Chondros Charilaos, to manage the situation. Emergency measures include closing fuel tank valves to prevent environmental pollution, maintaining constant communication, and arranging 24-hour tugboat standby to assist with docking and respond to potential fire or oil spill risks. Authorities are also developing a plan to discharge the cargo based on the vessel's stability and safety conditions.