Abducted bulk carrier tipped as new mothership for Somali pirates

A Navibulgar bulk carrier, abducted by Somalis in December, could be being used now as a mothership as pirates ramp up their activities off the Horn of Africa. 

UK maritime security consultants Ambrey warned yesterday that the 45,000 dwt Ruen had reportedly been sighted sailing eastwards 160 nautical miles southeast of Eyl, Somalia. The European Union naval force also said yesterday that this week’s pirate activity far out to sea could have involved the use of the Ruen, a ship whose 18 crew have already been waiting for three months to hear about ransom negotiations. 

The Abdullah, a Bangladeshi bulk carrier abducted by Somali pirates on Tuesday in the Indian Ocean, anchored off Somalia yesterday with 23 crew onboard. The ship was boarded with ease approximately 600 nautical miles east of Mogadishu. 

Emboldened by their vessel capture earlier this week, Somali pirates have set out again to sea to snare more ships passing by.

Ambrey has received a report of four suspected pirate skiffs departing from the Hobyo, Nugal, and Mudug areas in Somalia, with 36 armed people onboard. 

Piracy was rampant off Somalia for a four-year period from 2008, but then it went dormant for about five years. Earlier this month, the Maritime Security Centre Horn of Africa (MSCHOA) reported an unnamed hijacked fishing dhow departing Somalia with 11 armed persons onboard. In January, Liberian-flagged capesize Lila Norfolk was boarded by armed men some 460 nautical miles off Somalia but subsequently rescued by the Indian Navy.