Bad Pirate News Archives
Piracy Pays!
An undisclosed ransom was paid to
Somali pirates for the release of the
British chemical tanker St James
Park. The ship was on its way from
Spain to Thailand within a protected
and supposedly safe corridor when it
was hijacked on December 28.
Dozens of warships patrol the sea-
path to defend more than 20,000 ships
sailing the Gulf of Aden yearly.
London-based Zodiac Maritime
Agencies, operator of the St. James
Park, refused to disclose any details
of the ship’s release. Zodiac fears
doing so may jeopardize ongoing
negotiations for release of their ship
Asian Glory which pirates seized on
New Year’s Day. (05/14/10)
Somali pirates have released the
Talca, a Bermuda-flag reefer of
Padova, Italy’s De Nadai Group. An
unspecified ransom was paid. The
1988-built, 11,055 dwt (deadweight
tonnage) vessel was hijacked March
23 on its way to Iran from Egypt. All
25 sailors on board the ship - who
include 23 Sri Lankans, one Filipino
and one Syrian - are said to be well.
(05/11/2010)
Intertanko’s chairman calls for more
aggressive military rules of engagement
to fight an expanding piracy scourge in
the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean.
Intertanko claims nearly half of all the
estimated 1,000 Somali pirates
operating in the area have been
captured over the last 18 months, but
then were released. (05/07/2010)
Letters of Marque & Reprisal
sought so privateers can pursue maritime
marauders. Given that naval chiefs at a
symposium in Abu Dhabi on the crisis
say pirates are becoming bolder and
more inventive, it seems this instrument
introduced by King Edward III of
England and already part of the U.S.
Constitution (Article I, Sec. 8, Paragraph
11) may soon reappear. (05/12/2010)
Convoys Not Immune to Attack.
There is still no contact with the
Bulgarian-flagged chemical tanker
Panega. The ship which carries no
cargo was hijacked off the dangerous
Gulf of Aden Tuesday night despite
being part of a European Union Navfor
Somalia convoy. According to Lloyd's
List, the Pangea was on its way to be
broken up. Thus it had little worth to its
owner beyond scrap value. Also just
hijacked was the Greek-owned, Liberian-
flagged bulk-carrier Eleni P.
(05/13/2010)
Beggars can't be choosers,
but pirates can!
Somali pirates oppose extradition to
Germany. Pirate lawyer Ahab
Lawbeard, Esquire argues, "Arrrgh
Matey! The ship may be Dutch, but it's
a-registered in the Bahamas. Send me
and me clients there! The lads have
had a tough few days what wit their
capture and everything. And I been
workin' like a dogfish, too. Also, we'd
appreciate an apology fer da trouble an'
embarrassment caused us." (05/21/10)
May 2010