MV London Statesman was a dry cargo ship built by Uddevallavarvet AB, Uddevalla in Sweden for London & Overseas Freighters (LOF). She was launched on 30 January 1963, completed on 26 June of that year and cost just over £1.3 million. LOF employed her on the tramp trade. On 10 July 1972 during the Vietnam War the London Statesman was unloading a cargo of rice at Nha Trang in South Vietnam when her engine room flooded and she sank by the stern. Sabotage by the Viet Cong was suspected. On 31 July she was refloated and towed to Singapore for repairs. She continued to trade with LOF until 1979.