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: 10th May 2012 Type: Hijacking Voyage: Turkey to Iraq
Reports have been received that Liberian flag vessel SMYRNI (83,562gt built 2011) was hijacked by Somali pirates yesterday.
The tanker was on a voyage from Ceyhan to Basra. She was in the Arabian Sea east of Salalah when the attack took place.
It is likely that a ransom demand will be made by the pirates quite shortly. Shipowners commonly claim a proportion of any ransom payment from cargo owners as a general average contribution.
Because ransom payments can often lead to a very large claim on cargo insurers, it is important that the full circumstances of the hijacking are investigated.
We have acted for cargo insurers in respect of many piracy incidents in the past and have often been able to negotiate reductions in general average payments requested from cargo insurers.
