Russian Ship Bound for Syria Loses Insurance

Russia denies supplying attack helicopters to Syria 

Insurance coverage for the MV Alaed has been cancelled amid allegations that the vessel is carrying weapons to Syria.

U.K. based maritime insurer, Standard P&I Club, says they pulled their coverage of all eight Femco owned vessels as soon as they became aware of the allegations surrounding the MV Alaed.

U.S. officials had believed the vessel was carrying attack helicopters and other ammunition for the al-Assad regime from the port of Kaliningrad. On Thursday the U.S. State Department learned that the helicopters were overhauled choppers that already belonged to the Assad regime – an overhaul and delivery that was planned before violence erupted in Syria.

On Friday, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that they are only providing Syria with defensive weapons.  

Also on Monday, Femco released a statement saying that the management agreement between the owner of the MV Alaed, Volcano Shipping NV based in Curacao, and United Nordic Shipping A/S for provision of commercial management had been terminated.

The MV Alaed is a Curacao-flagged cargo ship.