Maersk Alabama: last calls of guards found dead

Workers at Victoria International Casino described the men as jovial. They were eventually escorted out at 3 a.m. when the casino closed. “I told them, ‘Hey look, we need to close,’ ” Mr. Nanty said. “ ‘You have to leave.’ ” At 6 a.m., the police report noted, they returned to the ship. It was in Mr. Kennedy’s cabin, more than 12 hours later, that a ship security officer discovered the two men on Feb. 18. Mr. Reynolds was slumped on the bed, and Mr. Kennedy was lying face up on the floor, a syringe in his left hand, brown heroin powder in the room, according to police reports. Drug use was prohibited. [February 25] Two ex-Navy Seals found dead last week aboard the ship made famous in the film Captain Phillips died of respiratory failure after suspected heart attacks, Seychelles police have said Two American security officers have been found dead on the Maersk Alabama container ship, police in the Seychelles said February 19. Seychelles police identified them on February 20  as Jeffrey Reynolds and Mark Kennedy. The men, both 44, were found dead on February 18 "A postmortem will be carried out this week in order to establish the cause of their sudden deaths," police said, adding that the police investigation is ongoing. The 500-foot Maersk Alabama was targeted by Somali pirates in an attempted hijacking off the east coast of Africa in 2009. The 2013 film "Captain Phillips" is based on the incident. Reynolds and Kennedy worked for Trident Group, a Virginia-based maritime security services firm. The company's president, Tom Rothrauff, said the men were former Navy SEALs. "It's bizarre. Of course, it's a shock. They're all great guys," Rothrauff said. "I'm absolutely clueless as to what happened." 

Frank Peake, The former president of Sea Star Line LLC, was sentenced to serve five years in prison and to pay a $25,000 criminal fine for his participation in a conspiracy to fix rates and surcharges for freight transported by water between the continental United States and Puerto Rico. As a result of the ongoing investigation, the three largest water freight carriers serving routes between the continental United States and Puerto Rico, including Peake’s former employer Sea Star, have pleaded guilty and been ordered to pay more than $46 million in criminal fines for their roles in the conspiracy.

Sea Star pleaded guilty on Dec. 20, 2011, and was sentenced by Judge Dominguez to pay a $14.2 million criminal fine. Sea Star transports a variety of cargo shipments, such as heavy equipment, perishable food items, medicines and consumer goods, on scheduled ocean voyages between the continental United States and Puerto Rico.

Peake and five other individuals have been ordered to serve prison sentences ranging from seven months to five years. Additionally, Thomas Farmer, the former vice president of price and yield management of Crowley Liner Services, was indicted in March 2013 for his role in the conspiracy and is scheduled to go to trial in May 2014.In 2009, two former Sea Star executives and three former Horizon Lines employees were sentenced as a result of the price-fixing investigation. Peter Baci, who had been senior vice president at Sea Star Line, received the stiffest punishment with a four-year prison sentence and $20,000 fine.

[September 5]


The true story of Captain Richard Phillips and the 2009 hijacking by Somali pirates of the US-flagged MV Maersk Alabama, the first American cargo ship to be hijacked in two hundred years.

Trailer


[10/29/09]




Billy Ray has been tapped to pen Columbia Pictures' Somali pirate pic.

Based on true events that unfolded earlier this year, the untitled film centers on captain Richard Phillips, who was held hostage by four Somali pirates and was subsequently rescued by a group of Navy SEALs.

Col picked up the cargo ship captain's life rights in May, weeks after his dramatic capture by armed Somali pirates, his attempted escape and eventual rescue. At the time, the studio also optioned the film rights to Phillips' upcoming memoir, "A Captain's Duty: Somali Pirates, Navy SEALs and Five Dangerous Days," which will be published in April by Hyperion.

Michael De Luca, Kevin Spacey, Dana Brunetti and Scott Rudin are producing.

Ray's recent writing credits include "State of Play," "Flightplan" and "Breach," the last of which he also directed. He is currently writing "Gears of War" for New Line and "Motorcade" for DreamWorks.

Danish film "a Hijacking" opens in New York

Mr. Lindholm tells this story with an objectivity that sometimes feels cold but that also gives “A Hijacking” dramatic credibility. Its power accumulates slowly and subtly, with the threat of violence hanging in the air and the hope of a solution hovering just over the horizon. video review

Anti-Piracy: Australian African Global Investments

Saracen and Sterling Corporate Services train and equip the largest militia group in Somalia -- essentially a private army for the president of Puntland.   In the semi-autonomous Puntland region, they built a force of more than 1,000 men equipped with planes, helicopters and more than 80 vehicles. Funding of around $50 million came from Abu Dhabi. Somali tribal leaders, and the South Africans training the force, claim it is an anti-piracy coast guard.      

 Mr Lafras Luitingh registered the company - Australian African Global Investments - in 2006. It has branches in South Africa, Uganda and other African countries and is involved in logistics, transport and chartering planes and ships. The Australian company was registered by Taurus Financial Services [Gordon Hatch] in Sydney. "
 The men behind Saracen and Sterling are mostly former South African mercenaries and prominent among them is Mr Luitingh.














[January 20, 2011]Saracen International is training a anti-piracy army in the semi-autonomous region of Puntland — and being financed by an anonymous Middle Eastern country.

Several people with knowledge of Saracen’s operations confirmed that the country is the United Arab Emirates.
Saracen International is a private security company based in South Africa, with corporate offshoots in Uganda and other countries. The company was formed with the remnants of Executive Outcomes, a private mercenary firm composed largely of former South African special operations troops that operated throughout Africa in the 1990s.

The company makes little public about its operations and personnel, but it appears to be run by Lafras Luitingh, a former officer in South Africa’s Civil Cooperation Bureau, an apartheid-era internal security force notorious for killings of opponents of the government.According to a report by the African Union, an organization of African states, Erik Prince, the founder of international security giant Blackwater Worldwide, provided initial funding for a project by Saracen International to win contracts with Somalia’s embattled government. Mr. Prince moved to the United Arab Emirates late last year.
The Somalia coastline is 3,025 km. This includes the the total length of the boundary between the land area (including islands) and the sea. Somalia’s coast is equivalent to the distance from the tip of Maine to Jacksonville, Fla.



In response to requests for an interview with Prince, his spokesman e-mailed a brief statement that the Blackwater founder is interested in "helping Somalia overcome the scourge of piracy" and has advised antipiracy efforts. Spokesman Mark Corallo said Prince has "no financial role" in the project and declined to answer any questions about Prince's involvement.

Less wind, more pirates in Gulf of Aden

decreased winds and seas will only worsen the problem in the short-term as the Monsoon season has ended.

Piracy has been a moneymaker for the insurers

Shipowners are forking over some $400 million a year to cover themselves against a roughly 1% chance that their vessel will be attacked (200 attacks out of 20,000 annual voyages through the region). That comes to an average $20,000 in extra insurance costs per voyage. For big tankers, the cost is closer to $100,000 per voyage: $75,000 for war risk insurance and $20,000 for a $5 million kidnapping and ransom policy. Though some insurance syndicates have suffered losses paying out ransom claims, overall, piracy has been a moneymaker for the insurers.
The total cost of piracy worldwide is somewhere north of $1 billion a year. That sounds like a lot, but it's no threat to the $7 trillion a year international maritime trade.

Pramoni: part of Norway's Platou Finance

The Singaporean-flagged chemical tanker, the Pramoni, which was highjacked by Somali pirates on January 1st, is owned by a Norwegian shipping group, and leased by an Indonesian company.

The ship, managed by Platou Finance in Oslo was seized in the Gulf of Aden while en route to India, and this was the the first attack by Somali pirates this year. The DH fully stainless steel ’Pramoni’ (19,990dwt-built 2008) was acquired by Platou K/S for 52.75 $m, including 12 years BBC to Berlian Laju at 15,100$/day, with purchase option.

Among the 20,000 deadweight-ton vessel’s 24-man crew are 17 Indonesian nationals, five Chinese, a Nigerian and a Vietnamese,

RS Platou Finance is an independent company within the Platou Group utilising the full potential of having close contact with shipbrokers, ship-owners, ship managers, bankers, lawyers and consultants worldwide. Oslo, Singapore, Aberdeen, London, Houston, Moscow, Lagos, Copenhagen, Shanghai, Istanbul, Geneva and Rio de Janeiro. Our multinational staff numbers about 280 persons.



Berlian Laju Tankers (BLT) reported Q3'09 EBITDA just slightly below our estimates. While peers have reported double digit declines in chemical tanker earnings q/q, BLT's rates were only down 3% likely due to its robust operation and limited dependence on the product tanker market.

* Net revenues were USD 99m just as we had estimated in our Shipping Quarterly. EBITDA came in at USD 48m vs. our USD 51m. Deviation due to USD 3m higher costs evenly distributed on charter hire and G&A. Vessel opex remained unchanged at a low $4,100/day on average.
* We calculate that time-charter equivalent earnings were down only 3% on average compared to Q2. This is much better performance than peers which have reported declines of 19% (Odfjell) and 15% (Eitzen Chemical) due to their exposure to the weak product tanker market. BLT has 63 chemical tankers in operations mainly in the regional, stainless steel segment.
* No news about the ongoing take-over of Camillo Eitzen. We make marginal changes to our operating estimates while increase our interest expense assumption somewhat. Based on our estimates, BLT trades attractively at 80% of NAV and 7.6x 2010e EBITDA (based on 5% higher chemical rates y/y).

NAVIOS APOLLON: Panamanian bulker hijacked

Ms. Angeliki Frangou, chairman and Chief Executive of Navios Maritime Holdings




NAVIOS APOLLON IMO:9211145
Kleimar N V
Navios Shipmanagement Inc

NAVIOS Maritime Holdings has confirmed that its 52,068 dwt bulk carrier Navios Apollon was attacked 800 miles off the coast of Somalia on Monday.
Navios in Greece lost contact with the Panamanian-flagged vessel, owned by Navios Maritime Partners, and the last contact from the ship was a report that armed men were boarding the vessel.

Arctic Sea: Phantom Vessel Off Majorca

The Maltese-flagged vessel suspected by some of carrying AA Russian missiles destined for Iran, intercepted by the Russian Navy, and released, in time, and freshly painted, at Malta free of any trace of such cargo, is now off Palma , the major city and port on the island of Majorca.
While Russian reports stated The Arctic Sea cargo vessel is unloading its cargo of timber in the Algerian port of Bejaia under close scrutiny by the country's national security officials, such arrival and departure information has not been found in the usual web sites.
Also from Russian reports: Russian courts decide not to hand the case to investigators in Malta or Sweden.

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.

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.

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.

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.

$3.5 million ransom for Malta-flagged Ariana

"We are just waiting for the money," said pirate Hassan of Haradheere. MV Ariana, IMO number :8014150, was seized on May 2 north of Madagascar en route to the Middle East from Brazil with 24 Ukrainian crew aboard. All Oceans shipping in Greece is the beneficial owner.

Master shot dead: Pirates scared away by rescue

MV Barwaaqo attacked in Mogadishu, Somalia: "We send police when commercial ships draw near the port but the pirates were already on board and opened fire injuring one policeman but were eventually scared away by a rescue effort."

Panama-flagged BARWAAQO's Master Dead

SOMALI pirates yesterday killed a Syrian master who refused to divert from his planned course after they boarded the ship close to Mogadishu. Three crew members were also injured in a subsequent shoot-out. The Somali-owned ship Panama-flag BARWAAQO was carrying shipment from Dubai.

* Name: BARWAAQO
* MMSI: 353219000
* IMO: 7229411
Year Built: 1972
DeadWeight: 7849 t
Speed recorded (Max / Average): 8.2 / 5.8 knots
* Call sign: 3FTR6
* Flag: Panama


Vessel's Names Flag Call Sign Last Recorded
BARWAAQO Panama 3FTR6 2009-09-09 01:37
EAST CASTLE St Vincent Grenadines J8B2837 2009-04-05 01:31

EAST CASTLE, Varna 18-02-2006
IMO:7229411
Built:1972,Hollming Oy,Rauma, Finland
DWT:7849
RT:5492
Ivan Gorthon-81
Agios Mattheos-88
Marika-89
Blue Stone-03

Arctic Sea: five different flags, names in 18 years

Finnish police say the demanded ransom for the release of the cargo ship Arctic Sea is almost $ 1,5 million . The Arctic Sea – has sailed under five different flags and as many different names since it was built in Turkey 18 years ago.

Arctic Sea: It's a Plot, see

The “likely theft” of 3 atomic armed cruise missiles, recently recovered from the crash site of the K-141 Kursk, which claimed the lives of all 118 crew members,explains the missing Maltese-flagged vessel.

The Northern Fleet, working conjointly with Finland Military Forces located and raised the 3 missing Nuclear Armed P-700 Granit Anti-Ship Cruise Missiles ( NATO reporting name SS-N-19 Shipwreck). that Russia had not allowed to be salvaged by the Dutch companies Mammoet and Smit International contracted to raise the Kursk in 2001.

Once the nuclear armed cruise missiles were safely aboard the Arctic Sea, these reports continue, their journey was to have taken them across the Atlantic to the United States where they would then be transferred to the care of the US National Nuclear Security Administration where they would then be safely dismantled at what is called the Pantex Plant located in the State of Texas as per the provisions for eliminating these weapons contained in the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START II).

This did not happen, however, as these reports state that when transiting the English Channel the Arctic Sea was “hijacked” by as yet “unidentified commandos” who stormed the ship purporting to be “anti-drug police” in what the Maritime and Coastguard Agency is calling a most “bizarre” situation.

Upon learning of the theft of these weapons, Prime Minister Putin and President Medvedev held “emergency talks” with Finish President Tarja Halonen at the Black Sea resort of Sochi after which Medvedev ordered an immediate search begun for the Arctic Sea using “all available resources” of the Russian Fleet.

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Arctic Sea Transponder off the Ship?

A Russian maritime website claimed that the tracking system of the missing freighter Arctic Sea was broadcasting signals from the Bay of Biscay off France, although the vessel was reportedly seen off the west coast of Africa yesterday.

A posting on the Sovfrakht website said the signal appeared on a tracking service this morning, but added that it was unclear whether the automatic identifcation system equipment was still on board the ship.

Arctic Sea repainted and sold? A Phantom?

Consider the Asian model of piracy , in which ships are redocumented, repainted and sold under another identity. What if the target is not the cargo, or ransom, but the hull? Where is the now phantom ship? What about Western Sahara/Saharan Arab Democratic Republic (SADR)? Morocco reports that it is not in El Aaiun, a port which it 'occupies' but what about the 1,110 km coastline to the south?
here

Maltese-flag Artic Sea IMO 8912792

The Arctic Sea may have been hijacked by pirates. The freighter, operated by Helsinki-based Oy Solchart Management AB, was scheduled to deliver a cargo of timber to Bejaia, Algeria on Aug. 4,
“It would appear that the ship has not approached the Straits of Gibraltar, which indicates that the ship headed out into the Atlantic Ocean,”

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