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Statistics of pirated and released vessels and crews 2010 – 2012 Maritime Bulletin http://www.odin.tc
Classification of highjacked vessels Filed in Table only ocean-going merchant marine vessels, with unique IMO number, with more or less transparent history and known owners and operators, with known number and nationalities of crews. No local vessels included, almost all of them, with regards to Somali piracy region, are so-called “dhow’. They are engaged in regional trade, goods may be anything from charcoal to illegal migrants. They don’t have IMO number, they aren’t listed in international reference books, they aren’t insured with international insurers, their owner may be any petty company or person along the coastlines of India, Pakistan, Persian Gulf, Oman or Red Sea. For world shipping, these vessels, their owners, their masters and their crews, are simply non-existent. Their costs may be thousands of USD, even maybe tens of thousands, but not anywhere close to the costs of international freighters. Their goods may cost thousands or tens of thousands USD, but not anywhere close to costs of cargoes carried by international freighters. To include in statistics local vessels means to mess all up – even those who’re trying to monitor hijacked local vessels can’t tell exact details of vessels and crews (including number of crews and nationalities), and hijack circumstances, whether vessel was really hijacked or it was prearranged, and vessel stays with pirates on some agreement.
Mikhail Voytenko Ph: +66 895 010574 vmd@odin.tc Skype: odin.tc
49 Land hostages: 17 seamen: 6 crew (2 Danish, 4 Philippinese) from MV Leopard; 7 Indian crew from released tanker Asphalt Venture; 4 South Korean crew from released tanker Gemini. 30 fishermen: 4 fishermen from Thai f/v Prantalay 12; 26 fishermen (13 Chinese, 12 Vietnamese and 1 Taiwanese) from f/v Shiuh Fu No 1. 2 yachtsmen from the yacht Choizil (SAR).
Total 214 (165+49) seamen, fishermen and yachtsmen.
Crews by nationality: Bangladesh 6(Albedo) Ghana: 4(Iceberg I) Greece: 1 (Liquid Velvet) India: 6(Iceberg I) + 7(Asphalt Venture – vessel released, but 7 still hold by pirates) + 14(Smyrni) = 27; + ?(Royal Grace) Iran 1(Albedo) Yemen: 9(Iceberg I) Nigeria: ?(Royal Grace) Pakistan: 2(Iceberg I) + 7(Albedo) + ?(Royal Grace) Philippines: 1(Iceberg I) + 21(Liquid Velvet) + 21(Free Goddess) + 11(Smyrni) = 54 Romania: 1(Smyrni) South Korea: 4 (Gemini – kept on land after tanker release) Syria: 18 (Orna) Sri Lanka 1(Orna) + 7(Albedo) = 8 Sudan: 2(Iceberg I)
Tanker Royal Grace crew 22: India, Pakistan, Nigeria
Vessels’ nationality: Greece 3 Malaysia 1 UAE 3
Type of vessels: Tankers – 3 Boxships - 1 Ro-ro – 1 Bulk carriers - 2
List of merchant vessels presently held by Somali pirates
Ro-ro Iceberg I, UAE Ro-ro Iceberg I pirated on March 29 10 nm off Aden, crew 24: nationalities 9 Yemen, 6 India, 4 Ghana, 2 Sudan, 2 Pakistan, 1 Philippines. Iceberg I IMO 7429102, dwt 3960, built 1976, flag Panama, owner Azal Shipping & Cargo Dubai.
Boxship Albedo, Malaysia Boxship Albedo highjacked on Nov 26 2010 in Indian ocean, vessel was enroute from Jebel Ali UAE to Mombasa Kenya, loaded with containers. Crew 23, nationalities Pakistan, Bangladesh, Shri Lanka, Iran. Albedo IMO 9041162, dwt 15562, built 1993, flag Malaysia, owner Majestic Enrich Shipping Sendirian Berhad. Intitially crew of 23 was reported, but latest news say, that “one crew member, an Indian, has died from cholera, while the others, seven Pakistanis including the captain, seven Sri Lankans, six Bangladeshis and one Iranian have survived the ordeal, each losing 20kg to 30kg”, which makes the crew of 22, not 23.
Bulk carrier Orna, UAE Bulk carrier Orna highjacked at midday Dec 20 2010 in Indian oecan in pos in 01 46S 060 32E, some 400 nm NE off Seyshelles. The attack was launched from 2 attack skiffs, with pirates firing small arms and rocket propelled grenades at the merchant vessel. The vessel was stopped and boarded by at least 4 pirates. Vessel was enroute Durban South Africa - Zhangzhou China carrying 26,500 tonnes of coal. Crew 19: 1 Shri Lanka and 18 Syria. Orna IMO 8312162, dwt 27915, built 1984, flag Panama. Registered owner Sirago Shipmanagement Co., operator Swedish Management, Dubai United Arab Emirates.
Product tanker Liquid Velvet, Greece Product tanker Liquid Velvet was hijacked by Somali pirates at 1152 UTC Oct 31 in position 1200N 04533E, while transiting the Internationally Recommended Transit Corridor (IRTC) from Suez to Mormugao, Goa, India. Vessel was fully complying with BMP4, after pirates boarded tanker crew, including 1 unarmed security personnel, hided in citadel, but pirates broke in and hijack tanker. Crew is 22: 21 Filipino and 1 Greek (security). Product tanker Liquid Velvet (Liquid Challenge till 01.10.2009) IMO 9083940, dwt 11559, built 1994, flag Marshall Islands, owner Minimal Enterprises Co., manager Elmira Tankers Management SA, both Greece.
Bulk carrier Free Goddess, Greece Feb 08 2012 Somali pirates hijack bulk carrier Free Goddess at 1438UTC in position 13 32 N 058 36 E, 250 nm ENE of eastern tip of Socotra island, Arabian sea. Apparently vessel didn’t have armed guards on board. NATO reported probable hijack on Feb 9. Vessel was en route from Adabiya Egypt to Ko Si Chang Thailand with presumably, cargo of steel. Somalia Report says crew is 21, all Filipino. Bulk carrier Free Goddess IMO 9107045, dwt 22051, built 1995, flag Liberia, manager Free Bulkers S.A., Greece.
Tanker Royal Grace, UAE Tanker Royal Grace was hijacked by pirates on March 2 at around 1230 GMT in position 16 34N 59 48E in Arabian sea, some 180 nm off Oman coast. After the hijack vessel is moving towards Somali coast. Tanker was sailing from Dubai to unknown destination, nothing is known about cargo. Crew is 22, comprised of Indian, Pakistani and Nigerian nationals. Chemical tanker Royal Grace IMO 8410407, dwt 6813, built 1984, flag Panama, manager Oyster Cargo and Shipping LLC, UAE.
Suezmax tanker Smyrni, Greece Suezmax tanker Smyrni hijacked by Somali pirates on May 10 2012 in position 15 58 N 061 03 E, Arabian sea, 250 nm off Oman coast, 440 nm of Socotra island eastern tip, Arabian sea. Tanker was sailing from Ceyhan Turkey via Suez Canal to Basrah Iraq, according to AIS data. Smyrni was transiting in the International Transit Corridor and reportedly, didn’t have security team aboard. It is reported also, that probably, the tanker was violently attacked the day before, suffering heavy RPG and AK 47 fire. Tanker is loaded with 135000 mt of Azerbaijan crude oil of some $130 million market value, destined for refineries in Balikpapan Indonesia, PT Pertamina Co. The destination discrepancy between AIS data and statements of owners of the vessel and cargo is not explained. Crew 26: 14 Indians, 11 Filipino and 1 Romanian. Manager obviously, decided to save money on security guards believing Somali piracy is about over. Crude oil tanker Smyrni IMO 9493779, dwt 156000, built 2011, flag Liberia, manager DYNACOM TANKERS MANAGEMENT LTD, Greece.
* - sum of the ransom reported by pirates, no confirmation or otherwise from other sources, actual ransoms are at least 1/3 less than claimed. ** - Vessel was trading between Gulf countries and Somali for years without any problem, apparently under protection of some influential and powerful enough businessmen and groups in Somali, until she was hijacked on Feb 17 2012 by desperate pirates, who couldn’t but know about the protection, but didn’t care any more. Pirates were under considerable pressure from all involved parties, including olders, from the day of the hijack, and finally released the vessel for seemingly very realistic $150,000.
Comparative Table of Hijacks in years 2010 – 2011 - 2012
* - freed by Iranian commandos notwithstanding risk to the crews, 2 crew Eglantine died, at least 1 crew Xiang Hua Men wounded
* - sum of the ransom reported by pirates, no confirmation or otherwise from other sources Total some $130 million. Favourite figure given by pirates was $4.5 million. Well, it doesn’t matter much, because all those millions pirates are bragging about hardly exist, actual ransoms were at least one third less, so my estimation is, pirates got in total something between $80-90 million.
Maritime Bulletin http://www.odin.tc
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