Containership MSC Hermes III remains afloat and unmanned in the South China Sea after all 25 crew members abandoned the vessel following a distress call on 22 September.

According to the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore, the vessel issued a distress alert in the morning hours of Tuesday while sailing about 300 kilometres east of Vietnam.

At the time of the incident, the ship was travelling from Shanghai to Jakarta.

Singapore’s Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) broadcast a request for assistance to nearby vessels. Three ships responded, recovering all 25 crew members from a lifeboat after they left the ship.

Authorities in Singapore and MSC have not disclosed the cause of the emergency, and no confirmed announcement has been made regarding towage or salvage arrangements.

Additionally, there has been no official confirmation of reports suggesting the vessel experienced a fire.

MSC Hermes III is a 20-year-old containership with a capacity of 2,510 TEU. According to seaexplorer data, the ship is deployed on MSC's Intra-Asia SEAGULL service.