STATUS OF SEIZED VESSELS AND CREWS IN SOMALIA AND THE INDIAN OCEAN
Wednesday, 24 February 2010 09:56
Written by Ecoterra
Summary: Today, 24. February 2010, 06h00 UTC, still at least 8 foreign vessels plus one barge are kept in Somalia against the will of their owners, while at least 174 seafarers - including an elderly British yachting couple - suffer to be released. See the Somali Marine & Coastal Monitor for background info.
CASES NOT COMPLETELY CLOSED:
MS INDIAN OCEAN EXPLORER and S/Y SERENITY - presumed sunken, but wrecks not secured.
BARGE NN - an unnamed barge (allegedly with chemical waste) is held at Kulule (near Bendar-Beyla) since mid March. Ownership and circumstances could not yet be clarified. In the meantime local people have developed some ailments. Community awareness campaign was carried out, barge is provisionally secured.
S/Y JUMLA or YUMLA ? - a mysterious yacht with three Africans on board was/is kept since a long time near Dinooda.
FV INTMAS 6 [aka FV TAWARIQ 2]: Missing since March 2009. FV INTMAS 6 (sometimes named FV TAWARIQ 2) with a crew of around 30 seamen went missing around the time when FV TAWARIQ 1 was arrested by Tanzanian authorities with the help of the South African coastguard for illegal fishing. Families of four Kenyan crew members, who were hired by a Chinese shipping agent in Kenya, are desperate to know the fate of their relatives, while the shipping agent is now held also in the Tanzanian prisons in connection with the arrest of FV TAWARIQ 1. When FV TAWARIQ 1 was seized also FV TAWARIQ 2, 3 and 4 fled from the Western Indian Ocean. TAWARIQ 4 is now anchored in Singapore, TAWARIQ 3 caught fire off Mauritius, which has developed into a hub for fish-poachers, and TAWARIQ 2 (INTMAS 6) and her multi-national crew comprised of Taiwanese, Chinese, Filipinos, Vietnamese, Indonesians and Kenyans is still missing. When FV WIN FAR 161 was captured by Somalis, who had followed the vessel close to the Seychelles, the other WIN FAR vessels were called back to Taiwan. The Taiwanese real shipowner of FV TAWARIQ 1, who is said to also have had his part in FV WIN FAR 161, which recently was released from Somalia with some dead bodies on board - is wanted by the authorities too.
MT AGIA BARBARA: INDIAN AND SYRIAN CREW STILL WANTED FOR MURDER - vessel escaped from Somalia after the murder of a TFG policeman and the attempted murder of another to the UAE - unhindered by international naval forces. See our respective updates for details.
2 YEMENI BOATS: Missing since 11. January 2010 from Warsha Island in Alaraj area in Yemen's province of Hudaida (not yet counted on list of pirated vessels - but mentioned here as alert).
Legal Dispute: MV LEILA - The Panama-flagged but UAE owned Ro-Ro cargo ship of 2,292 grt with IMO NO. 7302794 and MMSI NO. 352723000 , is held at the Somaliland port of Berbera since September 15, 2009 at gunpoint and under a court order in a legal dispute between Somaliland authorities, cargo owners and the ship-owner. Somali company Omar International claims cargo damages caused by fire on MV MARIAM STAR who caught fire on the upper deck while at Berbera port in early September of 2009. MV MIRIAM STAR - a fleet-sistership - is likewise still at Berbera, but without crew.
The roll-on-roll-off vessel MV LEILA is owned by AL ALEELY GMGH in Dubai. The crew has not been paid by UAE-based ship-manager Al-Hufoof Shipping & Forwarding since five month and consists of 14 seafarers - 7 from India, 3 (incl. Captain) from Sri Lanka, 2 from Pakistan and 2 from Somalia. The crew and vessel are not covered by an ITF Agreement.
"The crew of ill-fated ro-ro ship MV LEILA is being held hostage at the port of Berbera by Somali businessmen owing to a deal which has gone sour . Captain and crew are desperate and pleaded for international assistance ," Andrew Mwangura of the East African Seafarer's Assistance Programme confirmed by telephone from Mombasa, Kenya. The 1973 built rust-bucket is apparently in a very bad shape too and the condition of vessel and crew are deteriorating. The crew asked for urgent international intervention and assistance. ECOTERRA Intl. is giving assistance to provide relief and ensure the safe repatriation of the crew. The crew had run out of food and one crew member had to be taken already to Hargeisa for medical treatment. The harbour master of Berbera was helpful, but the court order to hold the ship still stands, though port manager and owner say the official letter would arrive soon that the vessel is free. Meanwhile the diplomatic missions of India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan have also been involved and are active to solve the case with the Indian High Commission being the most proactive, having provided tickets for the crew already. The crew has received provisions as aid but it is hoped that a breakthrough will be achieved by the diplomatic missions with the ship-owner to pay the over six month of salaries and to repatriate all the crew. The Somali authorities have indirectly impounded the crew, despite that they say they had not. But what do you call a situation when the Port Manager says you are free, but you are not allowed to leave the harbour, because he is obviously colluding with the shipowner, though all the crew have resigned and only want to go home with their rightful dues. They feel that the pirates treat the other crews on the vessels they hold better.
WANTED: FV WIN FAR 161: The vessel was released by her Somali captors, but it has now also been confirmed by third party that at least two dead sailors are carried on board, which heads now towards Taiwan. Based on orders from the owner the vessel dodged all concerned parties by not relieving and exchanging crew and not stopping in Port St Louis for refuelling and repairs.The owner of the vessel irresponsibly endangers the distressed crew, which just came out of the ordeal of being held in Somalia for over ten month by pushing the damaged vessel through he high seas. The Chinese Navy, which did provide assistance to WIN FAR 161 is obviously is colluding in the attempt to cover up and thereby also proves that it can not take a responsible role in the anti-piracy phalanx. The United States Federal Bureau of Investigation also wants the original crew of WIN FAR 161 for questioning in connection with the piracy attack against MV MAERSK ALABAMA.
CASES IN NEGOTIATIONS:
Genuine members of families of the abducted seafarers can call +254-733-633-733 for further details or send an e-mail in any language to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Sea-jacked British couple, Paul and Rachel Chandler, aged 58 and 55, were abducted from their 38-ft yacht S/Y LYNN RIVAL, seized October 22, 2009 en route to Tanzania, and are still held in Somalia. The yacht was recovered by the crew of UK naval vessel Waveknight, after they witnessed the transfer of the Chandlers to commandeered MV KOTA WAJAR. The yacht was brought back to England. The elderly couple is now held on land close to Harardheere, sometimes separated for fear of a commando attack . The case is turning more and more ugly with pirates becoming brutal, politicians ignorant and the financially incapable family intimidated by several sidelines, whose money-guided approach is undermining bids by local elders, human rights groups and the Somali Diaspora to get the innocent couple free. Some humanitarian efforts, however, are now under way and Somali elders, respected leaders and the Somali Diaspora have renewed their demand for an unconditional release.
FV THAI UNION 3: Seized on Oct. 29, 2009. Pirates on two skiffs boarded the tuna fishing boat with a crew of 27 with 23 Russians, two Filipinos and two nationals from Ghana about 200 nautical miles north of the Seychelles and 650 miles off the Somali coast. During the attack the Russian captain was shot in the left elbow. The Russian and US navies tried to provide medical aid to the captain, while the captors themselves took him to hospital, had him treated and returned him to the vessel. The fishing vessel and its crew were held just around 1.5nm from where FV ALAKRANA was held at the central Somali coast of the Indian Ocean and is held at Ga'an, north of Harardheere, south of Hobyo. Negotiations were said already earlier not to go ahead well, too many sidelines got involved and the talks had stalled. Meanwhile the families in Russia protested openly about the slow progress of the negotiations. Though vessel owner and pirates are still too far apart to come to a conclusion and would need mediation, the talks have reportedly resumed. The condition of the captain, who had been injured earlier, has reportedly deteriorated and local reports say that the crew has run out of food (except fish) and clean water.
MV THERESA VIII: Seized on Nov. 16, 2009. The chemical tanker was hijacked in the southern Somali Basin, north-west of the Seychelles. The 22,294 dwt tanker has a crew of now only 28 North Koreans, since the captain of the tanker died from gunshot wounds sustained during the hijack. The vessel went sometimes to Garacad but then returned to Harardheere. The exact main content of the vessel as well as of some additional cargo is not known and the case is shrouded in secrecy. Apparently a conflict had also developed among pirates on board and their masterminds on land. Though several times it was said that the negotiations had concluded and release operations were said to be near, a real end is not in sight yet.
MV SOCOTRA 1: Seized December 25. 2009. The vessel carrying a food cargo for a Yemeni businessman and bound for Socotra Archipelago was captured in the Gulf of Aden after it left Alshahr port in the eastern province of Hadramout. 6 crew members of Yemeni nationality were aboard, in the archipelago. Latest information said the ship was commandeered onto the high seas between Oman and Pakistan, possibly in another piracy or smuggling mission.
MT ST JAMES PARK: Seized December 28, 2009 at position 12°58'4N-48°34'1E which is in the Gulf of Aden International Recognised Transit Corridor (IRTC), while on voyage from Tarragona, Spain to Tha Phut, Thailand. The registered owner PHILBOX Ltd. is fronting for the management company ZODIAC MARITIME AGENCIES LTD in London, while the beneficial owners are the Ofer Brothers - the Israeli brothers Sammy and Yehuda (Yuli) Ofer . There are 26 crew members on board including the Russian captain and their nationalities are: 6 Indian, 5 Bulgarian, 3 Russian, 3 Filipinos, 3 Turkish, 2 Romanian, 2 Ukrainian, 1 Polish, 1 Georgian. The ship was registred with MSC HOA and was transiting north west towards the International Recommended Transiting Corridor that she was expected to enter 3 Jan. The UK-flagged chemical tanker sent a security alert 14:20 GMT (17:20 Local Time) she also sent an unspecified distress message which was received by RCC Piraeus. The St James Park loaded at Assemini and Tarragona her cargo of 13,175 tonnes of 1,2-dichloroethane - commonly known by its old name of ethylene dichloride (EDC) and used in the manufacturing of plastics and not dangerous in normal carriage conditions. However, 1,2-dichloroethane is toxic (especially by inhalation due to its high vapour pressure), corrosive, highly flammable, and possibly carcinogenic. Its high solubility and 50-year half-life in anoxic aquifers make it a perennial pollutant and health risk that is very expensive to treat conventionally, requiring a method of bioremediation. The vessel's last port of call was Jeddah, where she stopped for Bunkers on 24th December 2009. The tanker was held near Garacad at the North-Eastern Somali coast. During the night of 16./17. February a naval vessel came close and provoked heavy gun-fire from the pirates of MV ST JAMES PARK as well as from neighbouring MV RIM. After the incident, in which the naval vessel didn't return fire and left, MV ST JAMES PARK changed position and is now held off Kulub. Negotiations are said to have started in earnest.
MV NAVIOS APOLLON: Seized December 28, 2009. The Panama-flagged 52,000 dwt, Greek-owned bulker has 19 member crew (presumedly Greek captain and 18 Filipinos) and was captured at around 17h00 (14h00 UTC) in the Indian Ocean near the Seychelles en route from Tampa, Florida/USA to Rozy / India with a cargo of fertilizer. The vessel is held off Danaane at the North-Eastern Somali coast and negotiations started but are reported as not yet concluded.
MT PRAMONI: Seized January 01, 2010. The Singapore-flagged and Indonesian-owned MT PRAMONI, a chemical/oil-products tanker, was sea-jacked in the morning of the New Years day in the Gulf of Aden at position Lat 12º 30'N Long 47º 17'E while en route from Genoa, Italy eastbound.to Kandla - India. The 24 crew of the 19,998 dwt vessel consists of 17 Indonesians, 5 Chinese 1 Nigerian 1 Vietnamese and is reportedly safe. The vessel with it load of fertilizer is held off Dinoowda at the North-Eastern Somali Indian Ocean coast. Some negotiations have continued, but a serious conflict among the captors themselves has not yet been resolved.
VC ASIAN GLORY: Seized January 02, 2010. The UK-flagged, UK-owned car carrier was taken around 620nm off the Somali coast in the Indian Ocean, while after leaving the South Korean port of Ulsan en route from Singapore to the Gulf of Aden and Saudi Arabia. The 25 crew members -- eight Bulgarians, including the captain, 10 Ukrainians, five Indians, two Romanians are said to be unharmed. DAYER MARITIME INC fronts as registered owners for the management company ZODIAC MARITIME AGENCIES LTD and the real owners, the Ofer Brothers - the Israeli brothers Sammy and Yehuda (Yuli) Ofer . The vessel was first held near Hobyo at the Central Somali coast. From there it was commandeered now twice out to sea to aid pirate motherships. VC ASIAN GLORY in both cases was after rescuing these pirates taken back to the Somali coast, in the first instance to Garacad, in the second to Danaane and the floating pirate base is now held off Garacad again at the North-Eastern Indian Ocean coast of Somalia. Negotiations to release the vessel seem to be still not forthcoming, though Iranian media had reported her release already, stating it transported weapons destined for Saudi Arabia.
MV RIM: Seized February 02, 2010. The North-Korean-flagged, Libyan owned general cargo vessel MV RIM was captured - en route from Eritrea to presumably Yemen - in the north-western Gulf of Aden just south of the Yemeni coast on 2nd February 2009 . Though a coalition ship USS PORTER that works closely with EU NAVFOR and a helicopter from USS FARRAGUT, both of CMF CTF 151, confirmed that the RIM had been hijacked, EU NAVFOR headquarters first declined to confirm the report on 2nd to Somalia's anti-piracy envoy - only to report it then a day later.
EU NAVFOR then stated that the vessel was sea-jacked to the north of the Internationally Recommended Transit Corridor (IRTC), was not registered with MSC HOA and has had no communications with UKMTO, the British operation in Bahrain.
The relatively small coastal cargo ship of 4,800 tonnes is still listed in the ship registers as being owned by White Sea Shipping of Tripoli in Libya, while in reality it was allegedly sold now to another company for her last cargo trip with a load of clay and with a final destination at the scrapyards in India.
Her crew comprises at the moment of 10 sailors - all of Syrian nationality. An actual crew-list has now been provided and is in the process to be verified. The vessel and crew are neither covered by an ITF Agreement nor an appropriate insurance.
The ship was first commandeered to the Somali Gulf of Aden coast near LasKorey where it encountered Puntland forces and the pirates exchanged fire with them. Then it sailed around the tip of the very Horn of Africa to Garacad on the Indian Ocean side.
The vessel has been moved from Garacad - because local elders protested - to Kulub, where it is held 5.5 nm off the shore at the North-Eastern Indian Ocean coast of Somalia. Negotiations between the pirates and the owners have commenced, while nosy naval vessels nearby drew in one case fire from the pirates.
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With the latest captures and releases now still at least 8 seized foreign vessels (9 sea-related hostage cases since yacht SY LYNN RIVAL was abandoned and taken by the British Navy) with a total of not less than 174 crew members (incl. 23 Filipinos onboard three vessels: two onboard the Thai Union 3, three onboard the MV St. James Park and 18 onboard the MV Navios Apollon; as well as the British sailing couple) are accounted for. The cases are monitored on our actual case-list, while several other cases of ships, which were observed off the coast of Somalia and have been reported or had reportedly disappeared without trace or information, are still being followed too. Over 134 incidences (including attempted attacks, averted attacks and successful sea-jackings) had been recorded for 2008 with 49 fully documented, factual sea-jacking cases for Somalia and the mistaken sinking of one sea-jacked fishing vessel and killing of her crew by the Indian naval force. For 2009 the account closed with 228 incidences (incl. averted or abandoned attacks) with 68 vessels seized for different reasons on the Somali/Yemeni captor side as well as at least TWELVE wrongful attacks (incl. one friendly fire incident) on the side of the naval forces.
For 2010 the recorded account stands at 15 attacks and 3 sea-jackings.
The naval alliances had since August 2008 and until January 2010 apprehended 666 suspected pirates, detained and kept or transferred for prosecution 367, killed 47 and wounded 22 Somalis. (New independent update see: http://bruxelles2.over-blog.com/pages/_Bilan_antipiraterie_Atalanta_CTF_Otan_Russie_Exclusif-1169128.html).
Not fully documented cases of absconded vessels are not listed in the sea-jack count until clarification. Several other vessels with unclear fate (although not in the actual count), who were reported missing over the last ten years in this area, are still kept on our watch-list, though in some cases it is presumed that they sunk due to bad weather or being unfit to sail - like the S/Y Serenity, MV Indian Ocean Explorer.Present multi-factorial risk assessment code: GoA: ORANGE / IO: ORANGE (Red = Very much likely, high season; Orange = Reduced risk, but very likely, Yellow = significantly reduced risk, but still likely, Blue = possible, Green = unlikely). Piracy incidents usually degrade during the monsoon season and rise gradually by the end of the monsoon. Starting from mid February until early April every year an increase in piracy cases can be expected.
For further details and regional information see the Somali Marine and Coastal Monitor at www.australia.to
ECOTERRA International monitors illegal maritime activity and piracy around the Horn of Africa
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