Middle East Politics.Net » pirates

Pirates Rescued, Then Turned In

bkeenan — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 22:04:46 +0000

Seven suspected pirates were found off the Yemeni coast after they signaled a distress call. The Royal Danish Ship, HDMS Absalon, saved the supposed pirates and then turned them into Yemeni authorities. The rescued were thought to be pirates because their boat contained AK-47s and rocket-propelled grenades. There is argument over whether or not a Yemeni ship earlier attacked the small boat, but the only thing that is certain is that the suspected pirates are now in Yemeni control.

Brad Keenan

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EU and Yemen to Start Talks to End Piracy

bkeenan — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 06:34:57 +0000

With all the recent piracy incidents off of the Yemen coast in the Gulf of Aden, the European Union will begin talks with Yemen to end the attacks. The EU is interested because many of the ships that are being hijacked by pirates are meant to end up in Europe. In mid-December the EU is supposed to be sending maritime ships to Yemen to help protect the waters.

Brad Keenan

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Hijacked Yemeni Ship Freed

bkeenan — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 06:31:22 +0000

On November 19th, a Yemeni cargo ship was leaving for the Indian Ocean as it was hijacked by pirates. Holding the ship for over 2 weeks, they asked for 2 million dollars ransom for the vessel and its crew. The owner of the ship, a Yemeni of Somali background, refused to pay. On Wednesday, December 3rd the Somali pirates released the ship. They are expected to go back to their pirate headquarters in Eyl Port.

Brad Keenan

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Suez Canal Under Threat

alqassar — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 14:01:37 +0000

The Suez Canal is facing a massive test, as the scourge of Somali piracy prompts major shipping companies to seek another route.

Egypt, which is greatly dependent on the fees it charges ships to go through the Canal, has expressed concern over a possible drop in income — though it says it’s hopeful an international flotilla patrolling the pirate-infested waters will be able to guarantee safe passage.

At least two shipping companies have announced their vessels will take the long route around the southern tip of Africa rather than go through the Canal, which requires crossing through the Gulf of Aden, scene of most pirate attacks.

To avoid the Gulf of Aden, Europe’s largest shipping firm A.P. Moller-Maersk A/S said last week it was telling some of its slower ships to sail around Africa’s Cape of Good Hope, and Norwegian shipping group Odfjell SE ordered its more than 90 tankers to do the same. That means adding up to two weeks to some voyages.

Gen. Ahmed Fadel, of the Suez Canal Authority, played down the expediency of the South African route. “It is not easy or simple to divert through the Cape,” he said. “It will lead to an increase in commodities transport fees to more than 30 percent.”

In fiscal year 2008, Egypt earned $5 billion in canal fees — up from $4.6 billion the previous year — making it the country’s third largest revenue generator after tourism and remittances from expatriate workers.

So far, Egypt has urged the international community to strengthen its anti-piracy efforts in the Gulf of Aden, without raising the possibility of adding ships from its 20,000-member navy to the fight.

Yousif Al Qassar

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Tanker Hijacking Part of Recent Pattern of Piracy

Holly MacGillivray — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 21:18:34 +0000

In mid-November, Saudi Arabia’s state-owned company, Vela International Ltd., had one of its oil tankers, the Sirius Star, hijacked by Somali pirates, who are a part of an Islamist militia along the coast of Somalia. This hijacking is one of many this year. Pirates have found an increase in willingness of ship owners to pay ransom, resulting in a dramatic increase in piracy in Middle Eastern waters. The average asking price for a stolen ship is now over $1 million, compared to tens of thousands just a few years ago. Along with the increase in pirated ships is the increase in the number of crew members captured. From January to September 2008, 581crew members have been taken hostage, compared to 172 during the same period last year.

The hijacked Saudi Arabia tanker is the largest vessel ever seized. The original ransom amount was $25 million, but earlier this week, the pirates made noises of possibly lowering their demand. There is no confirmation of the exact amount, but the pirates seem willing to negotiate.

Holly MacGillivray

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Yemen Taking Efforts to Stop Piracy

bkeenan — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 04:28:27 +0000

Due to the recent ship hijackings in the area around Yemen, the state is to initiate a group of 20 countries to stop piracy in the area. The group will be targeting piracy in the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Aden. The regional center for the group will be located in Yemen and two other locations will be opening up in Tanzania and Kenya in the near future. These locations will hopefully prevent future piracy hijackings in the area.

Brad Keenan

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Iranian Ships Will Continue to Sail in Pirate Waters

kcahoon — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 05:16:50 +0000

Despite recent attacks on vessels at sea by Somali pirates, Iran has stated that its ships will not avoid these routes, according to the Tehran Times. Iran currently exports approximately 2.4 million barrels of crude oil per day, 25% of which is sent to Europe via pirate-infested waters. An Iranian-operated Hong Kong-flagged cargo ship carrying wheat is the latest vessel reported hijacked by pirates in the Gulf of Aden, according to both U.S. and Chinese officials. While a spokesman from the National Iranian Tanker Company says this does cause Iran some worry, he has also said that they will continue to use these routes. “We have been very careful when traveling in this region, but now we have to be even more careful.”

Kayla Cahoon

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Somali Pirates Hijack Oil Tanker

brgordon — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 06:12:14 +0000

On Monday, the U.S. Navy confirmed that Somali pirates seized the Sirius Star, owned by Aramco, t he Saudi oil company. The ship, carrying a crew of 25, was boarded by the pirates while it was near the Kenyan coast. It was located by the Navy after the pirates had taken it about 450 nautical miles to the southeast. Along with the U.S. Navy fleet that is currently in the Gulf of Aden, a NATO flotilla of seven warships, a Russian frigate and Indian vessels have gone to help. The Sirius Star is the size of an aircraft carrier and is drawing so much attention because of the two million barrels of oil it is carrying.

Brandie Gordon

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Somali Pirates Killed off the Coast of Yemen

bkeenan — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 00:25:07 +0000

On November 11, the HMS Cumberland of the UK’s Royal Navy killed two Somali pirates after a firefight. The HMS Cumberland was on patrol in the highly pirate-infested waters of the Gulf of Aden, when it saw a small wooden boat that was involved in a hijacking attempt of a Danish cargo ship. The HMS Cumberland sent small boats out to surround the pirate ship, but after ‘non forcible methods’ to make the pirates stop, they opened fire on the HMS Cumberland and the vessels that it sent out. During the fight, two Somali pirates were killed. This is yet one more story involving pirates and attempted hijacks in the Gulf of Aden.

Brad Keenan

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Turkish Ship Hijacked by Somali Pirates

cicek — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 14:15:20 +0000

Turkish freighter “M/V Yasa Neslihan” was captured by armed Somali pirates, at the Gulf of Aden, Monday. The ship’s 20 crew members are also being held. Ankara demanded NATO’s help in order to free the vessel and the crew. Fehmi Ulgener, legal advisor to the Yasa Company, said that they were contacted by the pirates who demanded ransom. The amount was not specified to the press. The pirates “allowed” the company two months to make a decision.

Apparently, this is not the first time that the Turkish government has dealt with this issue because a Turkish warship launched operations in the area last month to protect ships from pirates. “Piracy is rife and well organised in the area where Somalia’s northeastern tip juts into the Indian Ocean, preying on a key maritime route leading to the Suez Canal.The pirates operate high-powered speedboats and are heavily armed, sometimes holding ships for weeks until they are released for large ransoms paid by governments or owners.”

Aylin Ece Cicek

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