Maritime Casualties--December 3, 2009

Pirates Hijack Oil Tanker and Vessels Collide off the Philippines

• Seized Oil Tanker Reaches Somali Coast

A Greek oil tanker hijacked Sunday, reached the Somali coast Wednesday. The MV Maran Centaurus was en route to New Orleans from Jeddah in Saudi Arabia with about 275,000 metric tons of crude oil on board, worth about $20 million. The tanker will most likely be held off the lawless coast while pirates begin ransom negotiations.

Pirates seized the ship 800 miles off the coast, northeast of Seychelles with a crew of 28 on board. The ship, managed by Maran Tankers Management, was traveling at 11 knots east of an area in the Indian Ocean that EU Naval Forces advise tankers to avoid and was carrying almost at capacity when attacked.

The EU Forces are finding it difficult to secure the area off East Africa's coast, which spans over 1 million square miles. Pirates are moving their hijack operations further out to sea to avoid patrols. The ship itself poses other problems in combating piracy due to the lack of speed and its low position in the water.

Some vessels have been outfitted with noisemakers and high pressure water guns, this is discouraged on oil tankers for fear of triggering a gunfight which could cause leaks and devastate ocean and coastlines.

• Passenger Vessel Swipes Cargo Ship

A passenger vessel, headed to Ormoc City in Leyte, slightly hit a cargo ship in the Mactan Channel Tuesday night. The passenger vessel tilted about 7 degrees as it ran aground with 519 passengers on board. All passengers have been successfully rescued.

The 1,000-gross ton passenger vessel, MV Wonderful Star, owned by Cebu-based Roble Shipping Inc., departed Nakar Wharf in Cebu City late Tuesday night. While sailing just under the Mactan Bridge, the cargo ship MV Subic Bay 1, hit MV Wonderful Star along its port side. Local reports say no one was injured in the accident and Coast Guard personnel were able to rescue all 519 passengers from the vessel.

MV Subic Bay 1, owned by Gothong Lines, was en route to Mandaue Wharf from Manila when it damaged the forward section of the passenger vessel and caused damage to its own side section. The cargo ship continued to its destination. The cost of damage was yet to be determined.