MV Devon Bay

A post released by the Philippine Coast Guard about search and rescue operations with a photo of the ship
History
Singapore
Name	MV Devon Bay
Operator	K Line
Builder	Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding Co., Ltd
Yard number	1843
Launched	15 March 2013
Completed	1 July 2013
Out of service	23 January 2026
Fate	Capsized and sank
General characteristics
Class & type	Mitsui 56 series bulk carrier
Tonnage	31,756 GT 56,095 DWT
Length	189.99 m (623 ft 4 in)
Beam	32.25 m (105 ft 10 in)
Depth	18.10 m (59 ft 5 in)
Decks	1
Speed	16.5 kn (30.6 km/h; 19.0 mph) max speed, 14.5 kn (26.9 km/h; 16.7 mph) cruising speed
Capacity	28
Crew	21

MV Devon Bay was a Singaporean bulk carrier that was built in 2013 and serviced Asia. On January 23, 2026, the vessel capsized and sank in the South China Sea near the disputed atoll of Scarborough Shoal after the cargo it was carrying shifted to one side of the vessel during bad weather. Two crew members were killed, four others were reported missing and 15 were rescued.

Description

Devon Bay was a Singaporean-flagged bulk carrier owned by Japanese shipping company K Line. It was launched on 15 March 2013 and was completed by the Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. on 1 July 2013. It was 189.99 m (623 ft 4 in) long and 32.25 m (105 ft 10 in) wide, with a capacity of 28 crew members.^[1] The max speed of the vessel was 16.5 kn (30.6 km/h; 19.0 mph), while the normal speed was 14.5 kn (26.9 km/h; 16.7 mph).^[2][3]

Sinking

Search and rescue operations by the Philippine Coast Guard

The vessel was loaded with 55,000 tons of iron ore en route from Zamboanga del Sur to Yangjiang, China, when contact was lost approximately 141 nautical miles off Pangasinan, Philippines, on 22 January at around 8:30 p.m. local time. An SOS signal was received by the Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) at 1:34 a.m. on 23 January that the vessel had capsized in the South China Sea approximately 55 nautical miles off Scarborough Shoal.^[4] Two CCG vessels were dispatched, including one that rescued 10 crew members. The PCG also dispatched two vessels and two aircraft. Out of the 21 crew members on board at the time of the sinking, two died, four were reported missing, including the captain, and 15 were rescued, including one receiving emergency medical treatment.^[5] The 14 other crew members were reported to be in stable condition.^[6] The survivors and deceased victims were recovered by the BRP Teresa Magbanua.^[7] The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration said SAR operations for the four missing crew members are still ongoing as of 27 January.^[8]

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore confirmed it was investigating.^[5] According to the PCG, cargo liquefaction may have caused shifting in the weight of the load, forcing the vessel to tilt to one side and capsize.^[9]

See also

• Sinking of MV Trisha Kerstin 3 – another shipwreck in the Philippines which occurred 3 days later

References

1. "DEVON BAY (IMO 9622849), Bulk Carrier". MarineTraffic. Retrieved January 26, 2026.
2. "New Mitsui 56 Series Bulk Carrier Delivered". Marine Link. July 1, 2013. Retrieved January 26, 2026.
3. "M/S DEVON BAY(CNo.133608)". ClassNK. Retrieved January 26, 2026.
4. "Bulk Carrier Devon Bay Sinks in South China Sea, Two Crew Dead, Four Missing". MarineTraffic. January 23, 2026. Retrieved January 26, 2026.
5. "MPA investigating the sinking of Singapore-flagged ship in South China Sea that left 2 dead". The Straits Times. January 23, 2026. Retrieved January 26, 2026.
6. "PCG receives 15 M/V Devon Bay survivors, remains of 2 crew from CCG". GMA Network. January 25, 2026. Retrieved January 26, 2026.
7. "Remains of 2 M/V Devon Bay crew recovered, arrived in Manila port". The Philippine Inquirer. January 26, 2026. Retrieved January 26, 2026.
8. "Search continues for missing MV Devon Bay crewmen". SunStar. January 26, 2026. Retrieved January 26, 2026.
9. "'Cargo liquefaction may have caused Devon Bay's sinking'". The Philippine Star. January 27, 2026. Retrieved January 26, 2026.