BBC Trinidad i BBC Kwiatkowski
: 2008-10-01, 21:05
niedawno porwany został przez somalijskich bandytów, a następnie zwolniony za okupem (podobno w wysokości 1 mln USD) BBC Trinidad...
wygląda na to, że Beluga była właścicielem, a BBC czarterującym...
niedługo przez te rejony będzie przepływał BBC Kwiatkowski (w długookresowym czarterze u BBC) polskiego armatora GSL, z polską załogą...
Pirates free BBC Trinidad and crew
David Osler - Thursday 11 September 2008
GERMAN-owned heavylift project vessel BBC Trinidad and its 13-member crew were freed by Somali pirates yesterday after three weeks in captivity, after operator Beluga Shipping paid what a spokeswoman described as a “low seven-digit US dollar” ransom.
There were also unconfirmed initial reports that Japanese-managed chemtanker Irene was released after being held in the breakaway Somali region of Puntland, but full details were not available at the time of writing. The ship was captured on August 21, the same day BBC Trinidad.
A statement from Bremen-based Beluga said: “The captain and the crew are physically unscathed. They have been receiving medical attention and psychological support to rehabilitate from and master the dramatic experience.”
The ship is now said to be heading to Oman, its destination before it was seized, with a cargo of tubes for the oil product industry and large wooden masts.
In a further development, the operator of bulk carrier Michael S said that its vessel on Wednesday faced off armed Somali pirates with high-pressure hoses in a 90 minute stand-off.
The ship was able to get away when coalition helicopters and naval assets arrived on the scene, according to Kostas Bessas of the operations department of Piraeus-based JME Navigation.
“Everything went nice and smoothly,” he said.
Meanwhile, two top international shipowner groupings have urged their members to mount a co-ordinated lobbying campaign to push for tougher naval action to protect vessels sailing close to Somalia.
The initiative from the International Chamber of Shipping and the International Shipping Federation comes in response to the increasing number of piracy incidents in the Gulf of Aden, which have topped 30 so far this year.
In a joint circular, the trade associations call on their affiliates to take up the issue with both national governments and the mainstream media.
The document blasts the “apparent inadequacy” of protection from coalition naval forces, which last month established a protected corridor of patrolled waters, through which merchant shipping can pass.
It notes that, despite a mandate from the United Nations Security Council earlier this year to tackle the piracy problem, many navies have not been given clear instructions or rules of engagement by their governments, “presumably due to lack of political will”.
National shipowner associations are therefore enjoined to take up the question with defence and foreign affairs ministries, at the highest possible level and as soon as possible.
In particular, they should stress the need for the security council mandate to be extended when it expires in December, so national shipowner associations whose countries are members of the coalition task force are asked to make every effort to push the message home.
“Recognising that the safety of merchang shipping may not be amongst the highest priorities of governments. National associations should do everything they can to put pressure on governments by generating publicity in their national mainstream meadia about this threat to shipping and the lives of seafarers.”
Meanwhile, the ICS and ISF will continue to discuss the Somalia situation at the International Maritime Organization. The IMO — itself a UN agency — was instrumental in getting the matter on the security council agenda.
i jeszcze to:
http://www.bild.de/BILD/news/bild-engli ... nidad.html
wygląda na to, że Beluga była właścicielem, a BBC czarterującym...
niedługo przez te rejony będzie przepływał BBC Kwiatkowski (w długookresowym czarterze u BBC) polskiego armatora GSL, z polską załogą...
Pirates free BBC Trinidad and crew
David Osler - Thursday 11 September 2008
GERMAN-owned heavylift project vessel BBC Trinidad and its 13-member crew were freed by Somali pirates yesterday after three weeks in captivity, after operator Beluga Shipping paid what a spokeswoman described as a “low seven-digit US dollar” ransom.
There were also unconfirmed initial reports that Japanese-managed chemtanker Irene was released after being held in the breakaway Somali region of Puntland, but full details were not available at the time of writing. The ship was captured on August 21, the same day BBC Trinidad.
A statement from Bremen-based Beluga said: “The captain and the crew are physically unscathed. They have been receiving medical attention and psychological support to rehabilitate from and master the dramatic experience.”
The ship is now said to be heading to Oman, its destination before it was seized, with a cargo of tubes for the oil product industry and large wooden masts.
In a further development, the operator of bulk carrier Michael S said that its vessel on Wednesday faced off armed Somali pirates with high-pressure hoses in a 90 minute stand-off.
The ship was able to get away when coalition helicopters and naval assets arrived on the scene, according to Kostas Bessas of the operations department of Piraeus-based JME Navigation.
“Everything went nice and smoothly,” he said.
Meanwhile, two top international shipowner groupings have urged their members to mount a co-ordinated lobbying campaign to push for tougher naval action to protect vessels sailing close to Somalia.
The initiative from the International Chamber of Shipping and the International Shipping Federation comes in response to the increasing number of piracy incidents in the Gulf of Aden, which have topped 30 so far this year.
In a joint circular, the trade associations call on their affiliates to take up the issue with both national governments and the mainstream media.
The document blasts the “apparent inadequacy” of protection from coalition naval forces, which last month established a protected corridor of patrolled waters, through which merchant shipping can pass.
It notes that, despite a mandate from the United Nations Security Council earlier this year to tackle the piracy problem, many navies have not been given clear instructions or rules of engagement by their governments, “presumably due to lack of political will”.
National shipowner associations are therefore enjoined to take up the question with defence and foreign affairs ministries, at the highest possible level and as soon as possible.
In particular, they should stress the need for the security council mandate to be extended when it expires in December, so national shipowner associations whose countries are members of the coalition task force are asked to make every effort to push the message home.
“Recognising that the safety of merchang shipping may not be amongst the highest priorities of governments. National associations should do everything they can to put pressure on governments by generating publicity in their national mainstream meadia about this threat to shipping and the lives of seafarers.”
Meanwhile, the ICS and ISF will continue to discuss the Somalia situation at the International Maritime Organization. The IMO — itself a UN agency — was instrumental in getting the matter on the security council agenda.
i jeszcze to:
http://www.bild.de/BILD/news/bild-engli ... nidad.html
