Yang Ming seafarers have saved two Australians from their burning yacht en route to Singapore.

The rescue involving the 4,662-teu YM Excellence (built 2015) took place on 19 May while the vessel was sailing from China, the company said.

Captain Lee Chien-Sheng revealed the crew saw black smoke billowing from the yacht, which soon burst into flames.

The boxship tried to contact the boat in vain.