The Sheng Li has been abandoned for the past four years.
The Sheng Li, measuring 52 metres in length and 8.5 metres in width with a deadweight of about 12,000 tonnes, was built in 2002 and has been abandoned for the past four years. After drifting at sea, it was towed by authorities to R33 Squadron Port in Con Dao for disposal.
In early August, Amadive Tourism Services Co Ltd submitted a proposal to the city’s Department of Tourism to deliberately sink the vessel and turn it into a premium diving destination.
However, the Department of Agriculture and Environment said such a measure is not permitted under current law. The department cited regulations stating that the Sheng Li can only be either scrapped or sold at auction.
Speaking to Dantri/Dtinews, Ngo Tuan Tu, director of Amadive, said the company had received the official response. “Our initial aim was to transform the abandoned vessel into a new tourism product, but the department has not approved it. We accept this decision,” Tu said.
The company had earlier surveyed the ship, which has six connected cargo holds, one main engine, two auxiliary engines, a generator and a propeller. All are corroded, water-damaged and no longer operational. The hull is also severely degraded.
The proposal aimed to create a new niche tourism product for diving enthusiasts, as Vietnam currently lacks official shipwreck diving tours. Some experts, however, warned that sinking the vessel could pose environmental risks.
On May 9, local authorities approved an auction of the Sheng Li with a starting price of VND 1.7 billion (approximately USD 67,000).
Under regulations, the winning bidder is only permitted to recover scrap from the vessel, with no modification or alternative use allowed.
