Farewell to Maersk Mc-Kinney Moller 1913-2012

A.P. Moeller - Maersk A/S, Denmark's biggest company, said Maersk Mc-Kinney Moeller, the main owner and son of the firm's founder, has died today. He was 98.

PIRACY ATTACK NO: 110 - 12

Date : 14th April 2012

Type of vessel : Chemical tanker

Location Detail : Around 410 NM WSW of Mumbai, India, off Somalia

Type of Attack : Attempted

Narrations : On 14.04.2012 / 0652 UTC, Posn 16 54 N, 065 59 E, Around 410 NM WSW of Mumbai, India)

Seven pirates armed with guns in a skiff approached a chemical tanker underway at high speed. Alarm sounded and armed security team mustered. When the skiff was 0.5 nm from the vessel the armed security team fired warning shots and the skiff aborted the approach. A mother vessel was sighted in the vicinity.

PIRACY ATTACK NO: 111 - 12

Date : 9th April 2012

Type of vessel : Chemical tanker

Location Detail : Around 425 Nm east of Socotra Island, Yemen.

Type of Attack : Attempted

Narrations : On 09.04.2012 / 0900 UTC, Posn 12 13.1 N, 061 49.9 E, Around 400 NM east of Socotra, Yemen.

Duty Lookout onboard a chemical tanker underway noticed a mother vessel lowering a skiff. the skiff with six pirates armed with RPG and automatic weapons approached the vessel at high speed. Alarm sounded and non essential crew retreated into the citadel. Onboard armed security teams fired warning shots at the approaching skiff at a distance of 500 mtrs. The skiff was observed to stop and return to the mother vessel. Crew and vessel safe.

IRANIAN OIL TANKERS ORDERED TO SWITCH OFF AIS TRANSPONDERS

Iran is switching off AIS (tracking systems) for most of its 39 ship tanker fleet, citing oil industry, trading and shipping sources, was an effort to disguise the destination of oil sales.

The main aim is to take the ships "off radar" is designed to counter sanctions by the west as per sources. Captains of the National Iranian tanker Co., were ordered to switch off their black box transponders used in the shipping industry to track vessel.

Now only two of NITC's smaller suezmax size tankers now have their tracking system in operation as per sources.

Under normal circumstances, tankers would generally not turn off AIS (Automatic Ship Identification system), which were introduced to improve safety at sea and allow, marine authorities to locate vessels.

Ships are obliged by international law to have a satellite tracking device on board when travelling at sea. However, a ship's master has the discretion to turn off the device on safety grounds with the permission from the vessel's flag state.

Millions of barrels of Iranian oil that were in storage in Iranian tankers a few weeks ago now seem to have disappeared, ship tracking data shows.

So where is it going ? Has it been re-routed, has production been shut in or is the oil being stored somewhere else ? Is it all being stored at sea ?

"It's the million dollar question - the billion dollar question even " a senior executive in Asia at a large oil trading house said.

As per European shipping industry sources "Some big Asian companies may be taking oil on Iranian ships provided they switch off the transponders."

It has long been assumed Iran would sell most of the oil shunned by Europe to China, its long-term strategic and commercial ally. But until now there has been scant proof.

India, however, has been buying oil on Iranian ships on extended credit for several months, Industry sources say.

"China and India are our lifters of last resort," said an Iranian oil official, who declined to be identified. "And the sanctions are making the situation very good for them."

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TITANIC MILESTONE, 100 YEARS AFTER SAILING FROM SOUTHAMPTON

It was exactly 100 years ago, on April 10th 1912, when the ill-fated Titanic sailed from the English port city of Southampton.

And the mood was suitably somber on tuesday, when a series of events were held there in honor of the ship's anniversary. More than 650 descendants of those onboard met for ceremony at the exact same place where the Titanic set sail. Southampton was home to more than a third of the more than 1500 people who died when the ship hit an iceberg and sank on 15th April, 1912, during its maiden voyage to New York.

Those who gathered threw flowers and wreaths into the water, before a minute of silence.

M/V Leila released by Somali pirates - results of Puntland authorities and elders pressure

Somali pirates have reportedly released the Panamanian-flagged Roll-on/Roll-off, M/V Leila, and 24 crewmembers.

The details of the Leila’s release are still a bit fuzzy, but  somali reports indicates that the vessel could have been released for far less ransom than was originally demanded as a result of Puntland authorities and elders applying pressure on the pirates saying the hijacking created unwanted attention for the region.

“Religious elders played an important role and finally succeeded in releasing the vessel from the pirates,” a local businessman told Somalia Report. “The elders had asked the pirates before to release the vessel unconditionally, but the pirates had refused. Finally, the elders asked this group to accept a sum which covered the expenses of the hijacking, and pirates accepted. These negotiations between the pirates, elders and owners were private. The pirates final demand was $150,000, and when the owners agreed to paid this, the pirates released the vessel, but it was meant to remain secret.”

The M/V Leila was highjacked by a group of somali pirates on 15th february this year while underway approximately 50 nm off the coast of Oman.  The 24-strong crew are said to be in good condition and the vessel is sailing to the Port of Berbera.

The vessel is owned and operated by New Port Cargo & Shipping of Dubai.