22 Jan 2010 - Two pirates were killed in a gunfight with a rival group after releasing the hijacked Greek VLCC Maran Centaurus last Monday.
Pirates released the tanker after what was believed to be a record breaking ransom of more than $7M was dropped onto the tankery by helicopter.
The fully loaded 300,294 dwt tanker was hijacked on 29th Nov in the Somali Basin with 28 crew members onboard, EU NAVFOR confirmed. It was finally released outside Haradere off Somalia and headed towards Durban.
Operator and manager Maran Tankers Management said all crew members were safe and well. The company would not confirm whether a ransom had been paid, " as they do not provide any information which might in any way encourage further criminal acts of this kind". the company said in a press statement.
A U$ 3 M ransom was believed paid for the release of another VLCC, the Sirius Star, in January 2009 and similar ransom have subsequently been paid.
Meanwhile, the Turkish navy helped Indian Suezmax 'Jag Layak' evade an attack by pirates in the Gulf of Aden.
A helicopter from a Turkish frigate intercepted a pirate skiff that had opened fire on 147, 834 dwt tanker on Saturday morning, EU NAVFOR said. No-one was hurt in the attack and the alleged pirates were arrested.
Since then the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) released a statement calling on governments to do more to fight piracy.
" It is extraordinary that governments today seem less able to protect shipping than they were almost 200 years ago," ICS chairman Spyros Polemis said.
Worldwide piracy attacks rose nearly 40% in 2009, with Somali pirates accounting for more than half of the 406 reported incidents, according to the International Maritime Bureau ( IMB) in its annual report.
Source: Tanker Operator
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