Special forces free "MV Arrilah-I" from pirates

Abu Dhabi: A unit from the UAE's Anti-Terrorist Special Forces, supported by  Air Force and Air Defence units, has successfully freed a UAE-flagged vessel, MV Arrilah, from pirates in the Arabian Sea, east of Oman, an official source from the Armed Forces said.

The bulk carrier MV Arrilah-I came under attack in the early hours of April 1 in the Arabian Sea.

M.V. Arrilah-I, a 37,000 metric ton deadweight, handy size bulk carrier, was sailing from Australia to Dubai's Jebel Ali Port.

The vessel, belonging to the Abu Dhabi National Tanker Company, Adnatco and NGSCO, had been attacked and seized by pirates on the morning of April 1.

"The Anti-Terrorist unit, supported by the UAE Air Forces and Air Defence units, and in coordination with the US 5th fleet, boarded the vessel today, following which the pirates surrendered.

Tanker "Zirku" was pirated

At approximately 0900 local time on March 28, the crude oil tanker ‘Zirku’ was pirated approximately 250 nautical miles south east of Salalah in the eastern part of the Gulf of Aden

The UAE-flagged and Kuwait-owned vessel was on its way to Singapore from Bashayer (Sudan) when it was attacked by two pirate skiffs firing RPGs and small arms.

The ‘Zirku’has a crew of 29 (one Croatian, one Iraqi, one Filipino, one Indian, three Jordanians, three Egyptians, two Ukrainians and 17 Pakistanis). There is no further information about the crew at present.

Quelle: www.bairdmaritime.com

Auswirkungen der Atomkatastrophe auf die Schifffahrt und die Hafenbetriebe

Mitte April werden die ersten radioaktiv kontaminierten Frachter aus Japan europäische Häfen anlaufen. Reedereien und Behörden tüfteln an Notfallplänen. Doch was tun? Die Ratlosigkeit ist groß.

Die “MOL Presence” passierte den Katastrophenreaktor Fukushima in rund 120 Kilometern Entfernung. Doch das reichte: Im chinesischen Hafen Xiamen sprangen die Geigerzähler an. Die Grenzkontrolle stellte an dem Frachter der Reederei Mitsui OSK Lines erhöhte Strahlenwerte fest. Mit 4698 Containern an Bord musste das Schiff umdrehen und sich auf den Rückweg nach Japan machen.