The owner of the hijacked Saudi ship for which Somali pirates are demanding a ransom of $20 million has said that it was the vessel’s insurance company that received the ransom demand and that he himself had engaged in no direct contact with the pirates.
continue reading "Slow Negotiation"

Turkey-based Kaptanoglu Shipping Group received on Wednesday the second Aframax oil tanker that Hanjin Heavy Industries Corp. Philippines Inc. (HHIC-Philippines) has built in this free port.
continue reading "Second Delivery"

The European Commission has adopted a recommendation addressed to the Member States to ensure the effective application of measures for self-protection and for preventing acts of piracy and armed attacks against ships.
continue reading "Euro Backing"

The French maritime authorities in Le Havre have announced that three crew members have died on board an oil tanker, probably from food poisoning.
continue reading "Poisoning Puzzle"

The Japan Coast Guard on Thursday obtained an arrest warrant for a member of antiwhaling group the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society on suspicion of trespassing on a vessel of Japan’s whaling fleet in the Antarctic Ocean last month.
continue reading "Protest Arrest"

Information suggests that Al-Qaeda affiliated groups remain interested in maritime attacks in the Bab-al-Mandeb Strait, Red Sea, and the Gulf of Aden along the coast of Yemen, the East African Seafarers Assistance Programme (SAP) reported from Mombasa.
continue reading "Security Interests"

Australian authorities have rescued a second group of asylum seekers in waters off Australia’s northwest coast.
continue reading "Migrant Rescue"

A Kenyan court has sentenced eight Somalis to 20 years in jail for piracy.
continue reading "Stiff Sentences"

NATO has announced that it has decided to extend the mandate of its ongoing anti-piracy mission off the coast of Somalia until the end of 2012.
continue reading "Extending Piracy Fight"

The Kuwait Minister of Public Works and Municipal Affairs, Dr Fadhel Safar has signed a contract to repair the Mishref sewage drainage plant. It was has been out of service since last August, after failing to control increasing levels of pollution. At least five million gallons of sewage water is dumped into the sea every day.
continue reading "Dumping Disgrace"

The President, His Excellency Sharif Sheikh Ahmed and his delegation were greeted by Rear Admiral Peter Hudson CBE, Operational Commander of EU NAVFOR – Operation ATALANTA. 
continue reading "Presidential Visit"

The Australian Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, Anthony Albanese yesterday officially launched the International Year of the Seafarer.
continue reading "Seafarer Year Launched"

Venezuelan authorities have arrested 23 Turkish oil tanker crew members on drug trafficking charges stemming from a recent bust aboard the vessel.
continue reading "Crew Bust"

Security officers will be given frisk search powers over some ship passengers under the latest update of the Australian Federal Government counter-terrorism measures.
continue reading "Frisky Aussies"

We are extremely glad to state that the new website: www.sailorshelpline.org has been developed to improve awareness of the Helpline services which are available for seafarers and fishers in crisis, despair and emotional distress.
continue reading "Sailors Helpline"