If you have insured cargo on board the following vessels and would like us to assist you in pursuing any claims arising from these incidents (or any similar cases), or if you require assistance in providing GA or salvage guarantees, please contact us as soon as possible.
Date: 02.05.09 Type: Hijacking Voyage: From Brazil
Reports have been received that Maltese flag vessel ARIANA (37955gt built 1984) has been hijacked by Somali pirates off the Seychelles.
The bulk carrier had sailed from Brazil on 7th April. The vessel was taken during a night time attack, a rare occurrence, most piracy attacks taking place during daylight hours.
There was a decline in piracy off East Africa and around the Gulf of Aden earlier in 2009, largely because of bad weather. However, March and April have seen a sharp increase in pirate activity.
Generally, vessels and crew are held in Somalia until such time as the vessel owners/insurers pay a ransom. The vessel owners will then often claim, in general average, part of the ransom payment, and associated expenses, from the owners/insurers of cargo on board.
