Cancale Star: Pirates got the cash

The tanker's Latvian captain, Jaroslavs Semenovics, said around six or seven pirates had approached the tanker in a speed boat.

"They came on deck, pointed a pistol to the head of one of the sailors, marched him to the cabin," Semenovics told AFP.

"They asked me to open the safe and they collected all the cash," he added. He did not say how much was stolen.

The 230m Cancale Star was carrying 89,000 cubic metres of crude from Nigeria's Niger Delta, the captain said.

The tanker's owners Chemikalien Seetransport said in a statement issued from Germany that the vessel's chief officer, or second in command, "has tragically lost his life in a piracy attack off the coast of Benin in the early hours of November 24".

"It is not the chief engineer but the chief officer of the vessel," said Chemikalien's spokesman Cor Radings, earlier identified the Ukrainian officer as the chief engineer.

Cancale Star: Gathering Storm as Piracy Spreads

Pirates from the Nigerian town of Badagry, on the Benin border, 70km west of the commercial capital Lagos, have attacked an oil tanker off the coast of west Africa, killing a Ukrainian seaman, the commander of Benin's naval forces says. Simplice Hessou, a doctor on board the tanker, confirmed the death of the Ukrainian chief engineer and four other crew were injured, one with gunshot wounds. He said the ship's first officer had been seriously wounded. The pirates attacked the vessel some 18 nautical miles (33km) off the coast of Benin.

There were 24 seamen of different nationalities on board the Monrovia-flagged vessel, including Filipinos, Lithuanians and Ukranians.
CANCALE STAR IMO: 9372858
Call Sign : A8MO9
Gross tonnage : 42010
Type of ship : Crude Oil Tanker
Year of build : 2007
Flag : Liberia
TERRY NAVIGATION INC
manager: Chemikalien Seetransport GmbH Hamburg

Arctic Sea: Crew waiting for money to enter Béjaïa

23/11/2009 Crew Arctic Sea will receive a salary
Natalya Gracheva (sob.korr. Komsomolskaya Pravda). Stockholm
Before I give permission for port call cargo ship in the port Béjaïa for unloading, late last week, the vessel was double-checked the territorial waters of Algeria.authorities organized a thorough inspection of Arctic Sea, conducting full-scale study includes examining, on levels of radiation. The examination procedure, take several days, was attended by representatives of the Ministry of Transport, Emergency and military authorities of Algeria. The vessel was found absolutely clean, and in an official letter from the Ministry of Transport said Arctic Sea rose, at last, for unloading at the port Béjaïa. We managed to get through to director Solchart Victor Matveev, to ask about salary seafarers. Recall, according to the union of seamen debt for the period from August 17 was to pay Russia, under the jurisdiction with which this number was the ship. However, the situation of seafarers and their families can not wait to address this issue for a long time, so we decided to once again appeal to the employer. The answer was unexpected. All this time we have been seeking reserves and resources. As a result, despite the fact that a subsidiary company - Arctic Sea Malta - is in distress, we decided to open a credit line from the Finnish company to fully compensate for the sailors forced to stay aboard the cargo ship. We agreed with the union scheme of payments for all debts, including - for the period in which the vessel will remain under the jurisdiction of Russia. Monday, November 23, will go first tranche and we will do everything to ensure that seafarers have received all their due in the near future. Arctic Sea will now work in the Far East. Were there any thoughts to change its name? Perhaps remained negative associations, prejudices? After dozens of tests were conducted, organized by the authorities of different countries - Russia, Malta, Algeria and others - we decided to keep the name of the ship. And the crew, and our company but survived everything: danger, and attacks Press, and all sorts of suspicions. I think that the Arctic Sea could be proud to wear his name.
Have you made any changes in security?
We have modernized the system of notification and signaling, it is more modern than today require international rules of navigation.One can say that in this sense, the Arctic Sea has become the most advanced. Protection Plan was also revised, improved, although in the past conform to all applicable regulations. Equip the team members is not possible, they have no right to carry weapons.

Red Sea Spirit hijack denied

The company that owns the cement carrier, Sekur Holdings Inc, told the Greek Economy and Merchant Marine Ministry that the vessel had not been hijacked.

The firm said that pirates had approached the Red Sea Spirit Nov. 16 but that the ship had escaped following a series of maneuvers.

Officials said that the ship was continuing its journey with all 22 Filipino sailors on board unhurt. The vessel is carrying a shipment of cement to Karachi.

SOMALI Pirates have captured MV Alkhaleed [8307155 AL KHALIQ Bulker 38305 1984 Panama] on the southern part of Indian Ocean near Tanzania. MV Alkhaleed was carrying Russian and Ukrainian wheat for Kitui Maize Millers and a host of small grain firms in Mombasa. more

Red Sea Spirit: Panamanian-flag cement carrier

Pirates hijacked a Panamanian-flag cement carrier on Thursday in the Gulf of Aden near Yemen, a Kenyan maritime official said on November 22. However, a Greek merchant marine ministry spokesman said the managers of the ship, Sekur Holdings, did not confirm the incident. Sekur Holdings were not available for comment.


Red Sea Spirit imo 7718888
Flag Panama Flag
Class DNV
Built 1978 Japan
Converted 1999 in Turkey
Tonnage Deadweight (DWT) 17,500 Mt.
Gross 11,968 Mt.
Net 6,354 Mt.
Principal Dimension L.O.A. 146.0 m
Beam 23.30 m
Air Draft from Keel 44.80 m
Draft 9.44 m

Owner: Carson Shipping Inc.:Carson Shipping was originally established by Norwegian and U.S. interests for the purpose of bareboat chartering the vessel M/V "Red Sea Spirit" through a financial arrangement with a purchase option.

The vessel dry docked in Turkey in 1999 where she was converted into a cement terminal capable of discharging cement from feeder vessels, as well as discharging cement to shore either mechanically in bulk, pneumatically, or in bagged form.

Arctic Sea: BEJAIA, Algeria doesn't record arrival

Victor Matveev as a younger sailor in Russian navy
Victor Matveev as Managing director,CEO
Oy Solchart Management AB, Helsinki – Commercial managers

Oy Solchart Ltd, Helsinki – Commercial managers

Victor Matveev
Managing director,CEO

BEJAIA, Algeria arrivals

Arctic Sea arrives at Bejaia Algeria

The Arctic Sea, has reached its destination in Algeria, Interfax news agency reported. The ship is registered in the Maltese port of Valletta.
The Arctic Sea is primarily owned by a Malta-based company, Arctic Sea Ltd. which is owned by Oy White Sea Ltd. According to the Finnish Trade Registry, Victor Matveev (Viktor Matvejev), a Russian citizen living in Finland holds 70 per cent of Oy White Sea Ltd’s shares. The rest are owned by two other Russian men living in Finland. The rest of the ship may well by owned by Solchart Askhangelsk Ltd of Finland

Film star Nicolas Cage has visited Somali pirates

Film star Nicolas Cage has visited a Kenyan prison holding suspected Somali pirates awaiting trial to highlight the problem of piracy in the Indian Ocean.

Inmates danced for the movie star and shook his hand as he toured the Shimo La Tewa prison in the Kenyan coastal town of Mombasa. The biggest talent agencies have “foundations” to direct their companies’ considerable philanthropic efforts. It is their job to match their clients — actors, directors, musicians and athletes — with suitable causes in almost the same way that the old studios arranged marriages for stars. Whenever you see a film star in jeans and a baseball cap, patting the head of a skinny, ragged child in some dry, desperate village in Africa or Asia, the chances are that the actor’s journey began in one of the shiny offices in Los Angeles.

Theresa VIII: The Bulgarian Connection

Cosmos Shipping Ltd. Bulgaria Currently, the company is acting as ship manager of handy bulk carriers and is focused on expanding its fleet in the dry bulk sector.
Wilmar International Group.,The following is the list of associates of the Group
Cosmos Shipping Ltd - British Virgin Islands Ship-owning and chartering – 50%

Wilmar Holdings Private Ltd.
Wilmar was set up by Kuok Khoon Hong and his Indonesian partner Martua Sitorus. Khoon Hong, nephew of Malaysia’s “sugar king” Robert Kuok, had cut his teeth on the grains and edible oils business while working for his uncle at Kuok Oils & Grains Pte Ltd and also Federal Flour Mills Bhd before venturing out on his own, some say due to a difference of opinions between the two Kuoks.

It also formed a joint venture with Nizhny Novgorod Fats & Oils Group and Delta Exports Pte Ltd to spearhead expansion into Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States comprising former Soviet Union republics.

Archer Daniels Midland Company (ADM) did the deal because they think it’s a good idea. Because Wilmar trades in Singapore, it is subject to governance standards that differ from North America. Many assets are in China. Much of Wilmar’s products revolve around Palm Oil which is reviled by nutritionists. ADM will become the second largest shareholder.

Theresa VIII: Kuok Khoon Hong

The captain of the Theresa VIII died last night from gunshot wounds he got during the hijack, the pirates say.

Mr Kuok Khoon Hong, aged 59, is the Co-founder, Chairman and CEO of Wilmar International Limited, Integrated agribusiness. "We own a fleet of liquid bulk vessels to meet part of our transportation needs. The ownership of vessels provides us the flexibility in our merchandising operations."
Wilmar International Group
Wilmar International Ltd.
Previous Directorships
Director: Theresa Shipping Co Pte Ltd

Wilmar Ship Holdings Pte. Ltd., (“WSH”) a wholly-owned ship owner and operator of the
Company, has acquired a 60% interest in Raffles Shipping Corporation Pte. Ltd. (“RSC”). RSC will manage and operate WSH’s fleet of liquid oil tankers.
Investments in associates
The following is the list of associates of the Group
Cosmos Shipping Ltd (4) British Virgin Islands Ship-owning and chartering – 50

Kiribati-flag
The Gilbert Islands were granted self-rule by the UK in 1971 and gained complete independence in 1979 under the new name of Kiribati. The US also relinquished all claims to the sparsely inhabited Phoenix and Line Island groups in a 1979 treaty of friendship with Kiribati.

Kiribati-flag Theresa VIII IMO: 8105923 hijacked

On 16 November a North Korean-crewed, Kiribati-flag, UK-British Virgin Islands owned[ COSMOS Shipping, Ltd.](operated from Singapore [RAFFLES SHIPMANAGEMENT SERVICES PTE .LTD]) ex-Chembulk Clipper, ex-Globe Oceanic, single-hulled Chemical Tanker named the MV Theresa VIII was hijacked in the south Somali Basin, 180 nautical miles North West of the Seychelles. Theresa VIII has a deadweight of 22,294 tonnes and a crew of 28 North Koreans. The vessel, which was heading for Mombasa, has turned around and is now heading north.

Vessel's Details:
Ship Type: Tanker - Hazard C (Minor)
Year Built: 1981
Length x Breadth: 56 m X 25 m
DeadWeight: 22294 t
Speed recorded (Max / Average): 14.4 / 13 knots
Flag: Kiribati [KI]
Call Sign: T3RH
IMO: 8105923, MMSI: 529201000


The country's capital of Tarawa has historic sites and artefacts where one of the bloodiest battles of World War II took place.

Arctic Sea: underway

picture published upon arrival
picture published upon departure
The Maltese registered vessel Arctic Sea left the Grand Harbour 11 November headed towards its original destination port namely, Algerian port of Bejaia. It was not listed as scheduled to arrive at Bejaia as of 14 November.

Mr Victor Matveev
Director
Solchart

As you know the mv Arctic Sea left Malta on the afternoon of Wednesday 11 November 2009, after the necessary repairs and all surveys and a flag State inspection had been carried out in order to ensure that the ship is in conformity with national and international requirements.

The mv Arctic Sea had entered the port of Valletta on Thursday 29 October 2009, after she had been inspected in international waters off Malta and her safety ascertained by the Civil Protection Department, the Malta Police and the Malta Maritime Authority. The inspection revealed that the ship was not carrying any dangerous cargo or any cargo other than that appearing in the ship’s cargo manifest.

LC Vassallo
Registrar General of
Shipping and Seamen

Filitsa: Pirates meet the Politician

The beneficial owner of the vessel is Fortress Shipping Co. and hence Fortress Investment Group. In 2006 Fortress Investments paid John Edwards $479000 for part-time work as a consultant- John Edwards was then the former vice-presidential running mate of presidential candidate John Kerry. He went on to run against Barack Obama for President.
John met Rielle Hunter in early 2006 and that during this time John was in NYC primarily because he was under contract as a consultant with the Fortress Investment Group (the hedge fund which the Edwards have invested a large portion of their wealth). Fortress‘ headquarters (1345 6th Ave)is only a few short blocks from the Regency Hotel (540 Park Ave). This relationship ended his presidential hopes.

M/V FILITSA (Marshall Islands) 23,709 dwt Bulk Carrier

A merchant vessel reported a distress call 111737Z 9 November at position 0.35 S/062.40E (approximately 490 nautical miles northeast of Seychelles). At 110206Z, UKMTO reported that M/V FILITSA (Marshall Islands) was assessed hijacked 513 nautical miles NE of Seychelles. UKMTO contacted the owner at 110400Z who had reached the ship. All that was said was “Somali, Somali.” CTF-151 is assessing with high probability the ship has been pirated. Verbal information received from the CSO of the owners indicates the pirates are already onboard and all communication with the vessel has ceased. It is suspected the pirates are in control of the vessel. There are 22 crew members onboard.

Francop: Israel shows captured arms documents

official web site

Arctic Sea: the Crew's story

Hey, what will we use for a North Korean Flag?
The Sunday Times gives a full account of the story now told by the crew. The Korean ploy is explained as follows:
"The crew said that when the Ladny first made radio contact with the Arctic Sea , Savin sought to fool its Russian navy officers by claiming the ship was North Korean - the hijackers had also painted over Solchart’s emblem on the deck."

===>>> One could wonder about the Russian statement at the time that "Both the name and an identification number painted on the Arctic Sea's stern belong to a North Korean bulk carrier that was docked in Angola at the time, the Russian Foreign Ministry said, but it offered no further explanation."

And the pictures provided show lettering that is more likely naval than work of the Latvian bravos that boarded the vessel, a paint job by the Frigate's artful sailors.

And a final nagging detail. Note how the IMO number on the stern is not square with the rest: can you imagine a spook saying to the seamen - "no, no, go back and use the right number."

Marshall Islands-flagged bulk carrier MV Delvina

The Marshall Islands-flagged bulk carrier MV Delvina IMO 9384796 was hijacked with seven Ukrainians and 14 Filipinos on board.

Vessel's Details:
Ship Type: Cargo
Year Built: 2007
Length x Breadth: 190 m X 32 m
DeadWeight: 53500 t
Speed recorded (Max / Average): 14.2 / 13.7 knots
Flag: Marshall Is [MH]
Call Sign: V7LN3
IMO: 9384796, MMSI: 538002772

Meadway Shipping Inc./ Medway Shipping Co S.A. is an international shipping company located in Athens, specializing in the transportation of dry bulk cargoes. Delvina Owner: Smart Shipmanagement Inc (Marshall Islands) hence Meadway Shipping and Trading Inc. (Liberia), controlled by the Delaportas and Famelos families.
Classed by Nippon Kaiji Kyokai, the Delvina has P&I cover with the London Club.

KG shipping funds and Iranian Arms Shipments

An increasing number of KG shipping funds, which are popular among German professionals such as doctors, dentists and lawyers seeking tax breaks, are thought to be close to collapse as funding dries up. Peter Döhle Schiffahrts KG lists the containership Francop as part of its box fleet. The depth of the crisis was highlighted by confirmation that Peter Döhle Schiffahrts, one of the world's largest charter shipowners, has applied for loans from a government fund set up to help companies survive the global economic downturn. German container shipowners, who control a third of the world box ship fleet, are facing increasing financial difficulties and the threat of bankruptcy as charter rates test fresh lows with the end of the peak shipping season. An Israeli special forces squadron captured the Francop flying the Antiguan flag near Cyprus, containers with hundreds of tons of rockets, missiles and ammunition destined for the Hizbullah were captured.

Francop: Antiguan-flag Boxship enters Ashdod

Francop: advanced AA platforms aboard

Reports in Israel say advanced anti-aircraft platforms never before found in the region were on board.

The registered owner of the vessel is Francop Shipping Ltd. Isle of Man, and hence to the German shipping company Reederei Gerd Bartels, based near the port of Hamburg. Mirko Bartels of the private shipping firm : "We have nothing to say." Ship manager: BARTELS G. 23, Wacholderweg, Neu Wulmstorf
Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al Moalim called the Israeli commandos "pirates" and denied the ship was carrying weapons in televised comments made during a visit to Tehran on 03 November.


In the past year, Lebanese authorities have arrested approximately 70 people on suspicion of spying for Israel. Last month, the Lebanese Army said it had found three eavesdropping devices attached to Hezbollah's private fiber-optic communication lines. The containers were owned by the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines Group.

Francop containers originated in Iran - Peres

Israeli President Peres stated: "The IDF today successfully intercepted a ship that was apparently en route from Iran to Syria and Hizbullah. United Feeder Services, a Cyprus-based shipping company said it picked up the cargo containers in Damietta, Egypt. According to Israeli Navy Chief of Staff, Brigadier General Rani Ben-Yehuda, "We are confident that the crew did not know what it was transporting."

UN Security Council Resolution 1803 (March 24, 2008)
"Calls upon all States, in accordance with their national legal authorities and legislation and consistent with international law, in particular the law of the sea and relevant international civil aviation agreements, to inspect the cargoes to and from Iran of aircraft and vessels, at their airports and seaports, owned or operated by Iran Air Cargo and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines, provided there are reasonable grounds to believe that the aircraft or vessel is transporting goods prohibited under this resolution or resolution 1737 (2006) or resolutions 1747 (2007);"

Antigua and Barbuda flag Francop seized

Ashdod
The ship, the Francop, a commercial vessel operating under the guise of an aid ship, captained by a Pole and flying an Antiguan flag was towed to the southern Israeli port of Ashdod, where the weapons were being unloaded. The vessel is operated by United Feeder Services, a Cyprus-based shipping company that said it picked up the cargo in Damietta, Egypt. The cargo included rockets, grenades, mortar shells and missiles.
Service in/out Limassol will be performed by ‘Francop’, -UFS newsletter 44

"This could be bigger than Karin-A," a military source said.

Operation Noah's Ark (Hebrew: מבצע תיבת נוח‎, Mivtza Teyvat Noah) was an Israeli military action in January 2002 in which they seized Karine A, a Palestinian freighter in the Red Sea. The vessel was found to be carrying 50 tons of weapons, including twelve-mile-range Katyusha rockets, antitank missiles, and high explosives.




* Name: FRANCOP
* MMSI: 305234000
* IMO: 9277412
* Call sign: V2DJ5
* Flag: Antigua and Barbuda
* Vesseltype: Cargo Ship
* Width: 22 m
* Length: 137 m

build 2003
speed 18

Arctic Sea: Crewmembers ruled victims

Arctic Sea would proceed to its original destination to fulfill her obligations to her partners and deliver the overdue timber. A new crew of 14 sailors flew from Russia to Malta on 3 November to replace the captain and three sailors who had remained on the vessel.

Russia's special investigations committee announced 30 October that all 14 crewmembers of the Arctic Sea had been formally recognized as victims of a pirate attack.

Arctic Sea: controversial and biased coverage

Captain of the MV Arctic Sea Sergei Zaretsky upon his arrival in Arkhangelsk airport November 2, 2009.
"I am happy to be back home," he told reporters. He criticized the media for controversial and biased coverage of the Arctic Sea incident, insisting that the ship carried a shipment of timber rather than an allegedly illegal cargo.

Earlier, a Russian Foreign Ministry statement said the Arctic Sea's captain had falsely claimed it was a North Korean ship.
The ministry said that, when the ship was intercepted, its captain claimed it was the North Korean vessel Chendin-2, and was headed from Havana to Sierra Leone with a cargo of palm wood.

Ariana: pirates and the subprime mortgage crisis.

The captain of MV ARIANA, has been apparently completely abandoned by the Greek owner as well as the Ukrainian government. Though rumours have been spread along the coast since many weeks and months that MV Ariana would be freed soon, right now her crew doesn't believe anything any longer - though information that a ransom payment was expected again within the next days is circulated. The Ukrainian crew with two women, of which one still would require medical evacuation, does not want to hear any false promises any more. 19-10-2009, online - following from open sources:
Alloceans Shipping Company Ltd (Greece)
ALLOCEAN SHIPPING (UK) LIMITED
Allco Finance Ltd.
Allco Finance Group Limited
Shipping - Allco own or manage 38 shipping vessels with another 23 on order.

The company is now in liquidation, after previously being in administrative receivership, following difficulties in refinancing debt and a share price fall of 99% since the beginning of the subprime mortgage crisis.