Working Conditions Aboard the Gt-Unity

On August 8, 2025, the tanker 'GT Unity' experienced a major engine room fire at 11:52 a.m. while navigating the South China Sea, approximately 104 nautical miles south-southeast of Con Dao and 191 nautical miles south-southeast of Vung Tau Cape. The vessel, carrying 3,872 tonnes of fuel oil and a crew of 20, was en route from Malaysia to Dung Quat in Quang Ngai province. The Maritime Rescue Coordination Center (MRCC) Vietnam quickly disseminated an Urgent Marine Information Broadcast (UMIB) to all nearby ships, urging them to keep a lookout and provide assistance where possible. At the time of the incident, the 'GT Unity' was declared “Not Under Command.” Thanks to the prompt actions of the Liberian-flagged container ship 'Androusa' (IMO: 9431769) and Vietnamese maritime rescue teams, the crew was successfully rescued. The fire originated from an electrical short circuit in the engine room. Upon receipt of the distress signal, MRCC contacted the 'Androusa', which was on its way from Nansha to Singapore, directing it to return to the scene. The crew of the 'GT Unity' was already evacuating due to southwesterly winds of force 3, with 16 crew members having left the vessel by the time 'Androusa' made contact. At 1:15 p.m., the rescue vessel 'SAR 413' was dispatched to assist. The owner of 'GT Unity' was advised to ready firefighting equipment, while nearby standby vessels were called in to support the rescue efforts. The 'SAR 413' was responsible for transporting the crew to shore, including one crew member who suffered serious injuries. In addition, Vietnamese authorities promptly alerted the Navy and Coast Guard, dispatching a patrol boat from Vung Tau. For further details and photos, visit the following links: https://maritime-executive.com/article/costamare-boxship-rescues-crew-from-burning-tanker-off-vietnam https://plo.vn/dap-tat-dam-chay-tau-ngoai-khoi-tphcm-du-kien-dua-20-thuyen-vien-ve-bo-sang-9-8-post864689.html https://baophapluat.vn/khan-cap-cuu-nan-thanh-cong-20-thuyen-vien-tau-cho-dau-gan-8-000-tan-cua-viet-nam-bi-chay.html