Vietnam's maritime authority rejects reports of attack on Vietnamese-flagged ship in Strait of Hormuz

The Vietnam Maritime and Waterway Administration said on Monday that the reports circulating in the media and on social media during October 9–10 did not reflect the vessel's actual condition.

According to the administration, Ho Chi Minh City-based Nhat Viet Transport Joint Stock Company (NVTrans), the ship's management company – a member of PVTrans, which operates within the State-owned Vietnam National Industry–Energy Group (Petrovietnam) ecosystem – submitted an official report on Saturday confirming its status.

In document No. 792/CV-NVT, the company said it had maintained direct and regular contact with the captain and monitored the vessel around the clock. These checks confirmed that NV Sunshine had not been attacked and that no fire had occurred in its engine room.

NVTrans also urged "caution when receiving and sharing information and to refrain from spreading false or unverified reports that may cause unnecessary adverse impacts."

The ship and all crew members remained safe, with the vessel continuing normal operations, the company said.

The administration said its clarification was based on the company's report, rejecting the claims of an attack and engine-room fire as inaccurate.

International media reports had originated from Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which claimed on October 9 that it had struck the NV Sunshine after the vessel attempted to transit what it described as an unauthorized route south of the Strait of Hormuz. 

The IRGC alleged that the incident caused a major fire in the engine room and propulsion system.