Calls for patrols after attack on ship off Somalia

09 April 2008 14:35  [Source: ICIS news]

LONDON (ICIS news)--The Somali government should allow foreign warships to patrol its waters, said market players on Wednesday following a recent act of piracy on a chemical tanker off the northern coast of the East African country.

 

“As chemical tankers are so specialised, if the vessel were to be in the wrong hands it could potentially cause major pollution and/or an explosion,” a trader stated, agreeing with the International Maritime Organization’s call for naval patrols.

 

The ship was attacked with machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades last week and only due to the intervention of coalition warships did the crew manage to avoid a hijack.

 

"The UN Security Council... must take some form of action to stop these pirates. We have to show that we mean business by securing the area. If not, it will just continue," said Noel Choong, manager at the International Maritime Bureau’s Malaysia-based piracy centre.

 

"There are a lot of tankers carrying vulnerable cargo and we are worried about an environmental disaster if there is any attack on chemical or crude oil tankers," he added.

 

“The real danger was the potential environmental impact of these acts,” said a shipowner.

 

The chemical tanker was attacked in the same area where a luxury French yacht was hijacked on Friday.

By: Dan Horlock
44 20 8652 3214

< previous article(VIDEO - ICIS news Europe Lunchtime Bulletin 30 October 2009)

For the latest chemical news, data and analysis that directly impacts your business sign up for a free trial to ICIS news - the breaking online news service for the global chemical industry.

Get the facts and analysis behind the headlines from our market leading weekly magazine: sign up to a free trial to ICIS Chemical Business.

Printer Friendly