BW Rhine: Sohmen family product tanker released

May 4th, 2012 BW Rhine was released after being held under duress while some of the cargo was being stolen.  The gasoline it was carrying was worth millions of dollars.


[May 2]Hijackers looking for the petroleum product cargo, maybe aviation fuel,  forcibly removed from her safe anchorage position off Lome, Togo BW Rhine, product tanker operated by BW Maritime. The vessel was laden at the time.
Contact was last made with the vessel at 18:30 GMT on 30 April. Ongoing efforts are being made to restore communications.
All possible actions are being taken to track the vessel, and coastal navies have deployed assets to assist the search. The BW Emergency Response Team is continuously monitoring the situation and all relevant parties have been informed. On 2012-03-27  discharged aviation fuel at RPD/Bristol UK.   BW Maritime is part of the BW Group, one of the world’s leading maritime groups in the tanker, gas and offshore segments, operating a fleet of 93 owned, part-owned or controlled vessels. BW Maritime is a leading maritime company with commercial responsibility for a fleet of 30 vessels - 14 Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCCs), and a fleet of 16 LR1 product tankers, controlled by the family of Helmut Sohmen . 



BW Rhine
Ship Type: Oil products tanker
Year Built: 2008
Length x Breadth: 228 m X 33 m
Gross Tonnage: 43797, DeadWeight: 76000 t
Speed recorded (Max / Average): 9.3 / 8.5 knots
Flag: Panama [PA] 
Call Sign: 3EOW2
IMO: 9341940, MMSI: 355797000
Owner: NEWELL COMPANY S.A.
Operator: BW Fleet Management Pte Ltd.
Class Society: Bureau Veritas

Leila: RO/RO Released

Somali pirates have released the Panama-flagged, UAE-owned Roll-on/ Roll-off (RO/RO) vessel MV LEILA.. No details on whether a ransom was paid.

“[February 20]A group of pirates hijacked a new vessel this week. The pirates contacted their friends in the Ceel-Dhanaae area after they had hijacked the vessel.

the vessel has not yet arrived at the Somali coast, now in Yemeni waters operating as a mother ship.

Hijackings of Ro/Ro vessels are extremely rare, as the vessels' high freeboards (the distance from the water line to the deck) prevent pirates from easily boarding them.

MV Leila's last known position was at 16.47 N-056.15E, the eastern entrance to the Gulf of Aden, on a course of 260 at 4 Knots, according to MSCHOA.
Leila 7302794 LEILA HOBF Ro-Ro 1357 1973
Class society: International Register Of Shipping
Build year: 1973
Builder*: Ateliers & Chantiers Du Havre
Le Havre, France Owner: New Port Cargo & Shipping
Dubai, United Arab Emirates Manager: New Port Cargo & Shipping
Dubai, United Arab Emirates Name: Leila IMO: 7302794 Flag: Panama MMSI: 352723000 Callsign: HOBF
Former name(s):
- Hana Ii (Until 2005 May 18)
- Contender (Until 2002 Jun 27)
- Indiana I (Until 1990 Sep 10)
- Indiana (Until 1988 Jul 03)
- Ferruccio (Until 1986 Jul 13)
- Antinea (Until 1982 Dec 14)
The 1973 built rust-bucket is apparently in a very bad shape too and the condition of vessel and crew are deteriorating. [2010]

Olib G: chemical tanker ransomed for $3 million

The chemtanker OLIB G, Malta-flag, Frio Maritime S.A. Greece, , with a crew of 18 (15 Georgians and 3 Turks), was released after the $3 million ransom was dropped onto the ship

previously

Iceberg 1: 100 miles north of Hobyo

658 N 4921 E

[October 30]We are not close to releasing this vessel....until we get our demanded ransom: a spokesman, Aden said. Last known position 0700 north 04922 east, 100mi N Hobyo

Listed by ABS as still held by pirates November 2

Renuar: Panamax Bulker released

EXCEL MARITIME CARRIERS LTD. owned bulk carrier to Fujairah (UAE) from Port Louis (Mauritius) hijacked 11th December 2010, 550 nautical miles off the coast of India was released April 23.



EXCEL MARITIME CARRIERS LTD.
As of December 31, 2010, Lhada Holdings Inc. owned approximately 17.0% of our outstanding Class A common shares and none of our outstanding Class B common shares, representing approximately 5.5% of the total voting power of our outstanding capital stock. Lhada Holdings Inc. is owned by a trust, the beneficiaries of which are certain members of the family of the Company's Chairman.

As of December 31, 2010, Tanew Holdings Inc. owned approximately 17.0% of our outstanding Class A common shares and none of our outstanding Class B common shares, representing approximately 5.5% of the total voting power of our outstanding capital stock. Tanew Holdings Inc. is owned by a trust, the beneficiaries of which are certain members of the family of the Company's Chairman.

As of December 31, 2010, our chairman, Mr. Gabriel Panayotides, owned approximately 39.0% of our outstanding Class A common shares and approximately 36.4% of our outstanding Class B common shares, representing approximately 37.3% of the total voting power of our capital stock. more

Irene SL: released with 270,000 mt of crude oil

Somali pirates released the Greek-owned oil tanker " Irene SL" late Thursday after 58 days in captivity.

A spokesman for ENESEL SA, the manager, declined to comment on how the vessel was returned or whether a ransom was paid.

The supertanker was headed to the U.S. Gulf Coast from Mina Al Ahmadi, Kuwait, carrying 270,000 metric tons of crude oil when it was attacked and seized in early February off the coast of Oman.

The vessel N.S. Lemos & Co., plans to sail the ship to Durban, South Africa, for inspection and resupply, while also replacing the ship's officers and crew.

back

Rak Afrikana: released - $7 million ransom maybe

Rak Africana, IMO 8200553, 1981 ransomed and released. owned by Rak Afrikana Shipping Ltd, United Arab Emirates and managed by Al Sinbad Shipping & Marine, UAE, Zambezi Shipping Agency LLC UAE. Vessel changed owners 8 times
Rak International company, which owns the ship handed over the ransom amount on March 8. The pirates, numbering about 25, were demanding a ransom of $7 million. “Negotiations were going on all these days and they might have reduced the amount little bit, Yesterday the authorities who had flown in a chartered flight dropped the bundle of notes covered with a plastic bag in the sea as per the instructions of pirates, who arrived at the spot in a speed boat. It takes minimum seven to eight hours for them to count and divide the booty. The pirates accompany the ship, carrying the crew members up to the border where a ship of the Indian Navy is anchored.
back
and back

EMS River: $3 million ransom for 99 m-long ship

Grona Shipping GmbH & Company KG. Ems River multipurpose vessel, Antigua and Barbuda-flagged, 99 m-long ship [ Grona Biessum] was released after payment of a $3 million ransom.

Earlier
still earlier

IZUMI: Sugahara RO-RO ransomed

Izumi 9414955 , ransomed, was released February 25.

The ship is under DIA S.A. [Delphi Automotive Systems] contract and had been carrying steel products for the automotive industry from Japan via Singapore towards Mombasa,

Serving as a mother ship for pirate skiffs, TORM KANSAS was threatened near Pemba Island on the boundary between Kenya and Tanzania and later ESPS INFANTA CHRISTINA and her charge AMISOM weapons-transporter PETRA 1, was threatened on November 6, 2010 off the East coast of Somalia. The vessel was also observed December 24 at sea. Negotiations then commenced.


Kaytaro G Sugahara, 2nd Japanese generation shipowner.

earlier
and earlier

Samho Dream and Golden Blessing: go 19 million

Think of the web of corporations, law firms, P&I clubs, not to mention varieties of footpads that made this happen. How many cover-me e-mails, memos, and cups of tea, etc.

Samho Dream laden with $170 million worth of oil, and Golden Blessing no doubt carried much the same.

Irene E.M.: helicopter brought ransom

Irene E.M. ex: Maria C.K.

"We already left the vessel

Irene E.M. (Ex:Maria C.K.)

and now we are dividing our money. A helicopter brought the cash this morning."

$1.8 million for Antigua and Barbuda-flag Victoria

The 146-metre MV Victoria, an Antigua and Barbuda-flagged cargo vessel, was hijacked in the Gulf of Aden on May 5 while on its way to the port of Jeddah. It has a crew of 11 Romanians, aged between 22 and 64 and includes one woman. Somali pirates received a $1.8 million ransom for the release of a German-owned vessel and its 11-member crew, a tugboat had brought the ransom to the brigands.

Panama-flag tanker NIPAYIA released

Somali pirates have released a single hull chemical/oil tanker owned by Delair Maritime of Liberia. Panama-flagged ship was hijacked March 25 off Somalia's southern coast.
NIPAYIA

IMO NUMBER 9162069
VESSEL TYPE CHEMICAL/OIL TANKER
HULL TYPE SINGLE HULL
GROSS TONNAGE 5.357 tons
SUMMER DWT 8.742 tons
BUILD 1997 BUILDER USUKI SHIPYARD USUKI - JAPAN
FLAG PANAMA
MANAGER LOTUS SHIPPING ATHENS - GREECE
OWNER DELAIR MARITIME LIBERIA
INSURER UK P&I CLUB U.K.

since 2002 Feb 18 GOLDEN DIANE

Bahamas Bow Asir ransom paid and released

The Bahamas-flag Norwegian-owned chemical tanker "Bow Asir" held near Hobyo nearby Haradheere port is released and the crew is unharmed, the shipyard confirms. After much bargaining, a $2.4 million ransom ,has been paid . the ship had a 27-member crew including a Norwegian captain, 19 Filipinos, five Poles, one Russian and one Lithuanian. The shipyard says the ship still is in unsafe waters.
BOW ASIR IMO: 7926306
Call Sign : C6TW9
Gross tonnage : 14627
Type of ship : Chemical Tanker
Year of build : 1982
Flag : Bahamas
FORMER NAMES
since 2009 Feb 23
1990 - 2009 NCC ASIR
1990 - 1990 Grenanger
1982 - 1990 Bow Explorer
Safety/MEP Only 19-Dec-05 NCC ASIR 7926306 Detention BF DNV

Blue Star: K&R specialist wanted?

Abdel Rahman Selim al-Awwa, reputedly the owner of the "Blue Star" ship, registered as BLUE STAR 7706770 Basseterre, St.Kitts-Nevis (SKN-flag) by Novstar Shipping and Marine Services Dubai as from Egypt, denied reports by the media that the ship and its crew of 28 Egyptians would be released within hours.
"These reports are groundless. So far, we haven't agreed with the Somali pirates on how to give them the ransom.
"The pirates demanded that the ransom be dropped by a helicopter into the water and said that once they took the ransom, they would release the ship.

"We rejected this idea and told the pirates that we would not give them the ransom this way. We asked to give them the ransom in a neutral zone through our respective representatives when the ship would start moving," al-Awwa said.
Al-Awwa said he would not give the pirates the ransom while they are still controlling the ship. What is the guarantee that they will release the ship and its crew after that," he wondered?
French sources mentioned $US1 million ransom, and elsewhere $3 million got play.

Sirius Star: Five pirates drowned with their share

Five of the Somali pirates who released a hijacked, oil-laden Saudi supertanker drowned with their share of a reported $3m (£1.96m) ransom after their small boat capsized, local sources said today. The boat with eight people on board overturned in a storm after dozens of pirates left the Sirius Star, following a two-month standoff in the Gulf of Aden, that ended yesterday. He said five people died and three people reached the shore after swimming for several hours.

Sirius Star: Combined Maritime Forces photos

Sirius Star Released, $US3m Paid to Pirates

The professional negotiators, acting on behalf of the ship owners, get about $100,000 for their services and the lawyers receive a fee of about $300,000 for ensuring that the shipping companies are not putting themselves in any dubious positions.
Regarding what goes on behind closed doors, be it the negotiations and the legal and insurance matters as a result of these hijackings, it would be fair to say that most of it happens in London.

Release of Belize-flag MV Faina?

A deal has been reached for the release by Somali pirates of a Ukrainian-owned ship, seized in the Gulf of Aden more than two months ago, carrying a controversial cargo of 33 Russian T-72 tanks. A "few technicalities" remain.
The arrangement to release the MV Faina and its 17-member crew came after protracted negotiations as the vessel, anchored off the Somali port of Hardhere, was surrounded by US Navy and other warships.