Ransom 'paid'

An Indian-owned ship hijacked by Somali pirates over three months ago is thought to be on the verge of release.

A $3.1m ransom has been paid to pirates who are preparing to leave the Panama-flagged ship, TradeWinds has been told. Reuters news agency has also quoted an alleged pirate as saying the gang is preparing to free a vessel.

The only two Panama-flagged ships currently being held are the 36,700-dwt bulker Al Khaliq (built 1984) and the 52,100-dwt bulker Navios Apollon (built 2000). As the latter was only taken on 28 December, it appears more likely to be the former - snatched on 22 October - which is up for imminent release.

The SNP Shipping Services-owned Al Khaliq has 26 crew comprising 24 Indians and two Burmese. It was seized in the Somali Basin and has been held in the pirate stronghold of Haradhere in Puntland.

If it is freed in the next few hours this would leave the Navios ship and five other merchant vessels still in Somali pirate hands.

The Singapore-owned 22,300-dwt chemical tanker Theresa VIII (built 1981) was taken in the Somali Basin on 16 November with 28 crew while en route from Indonesia to Kenya.

Zodiac Maritime Agencies’ 13,900-dwt chemical tanker St James Park (built 1993) was seized in the Gulf of Aden on 28 December with 26 crew onboard. Less than a week later the company’s 4,363-unit car carrier Asian Glory (built 1994) was hijacked in the Arabian Sea with 25 crew.

In between these two hijackings was the seizure of Berlian Laju Tanker's 20,000-dwt, Singapore-flagged chemical tanker Pramoni (built 2008) on New Year's Day.

The North Korea-flagged 4,800-dwt Rim (built 1973) was seized in the Gulf of Aden on 3 February.

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