MV Sirius Star
Encyclopedia
MV Sirius Star is an oil tanker
owned and operated by Vela International Marine
. With a length overall of 1090 feet (332.2 m) and a capacity of 2.2 Moilbbl of crude oil, the ship is classified as a very large crude carrier or VLCC. Vela is based in the United Arab Emirates
and is a subsidiary of the Saudi Arabian state oil company Saudi Aramco
. Sirius Star is one of Vela's 24 tankers, of which 19 are VLCCs. Since its launch, the ship has been registered
under the Liberian flag
and homeported in Monrovia
.
Sirius Star was built by the South Korean company Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering
. The ship's construction began in October 2007 and it was launched
by Huda M. Ghoson in late March 2008. The launching ceremony was the first in Vela's history that was performed by a Saudi woman.
The ship received international attention when it was hijacked
by Somali pirates
on 15 November 2008, becoming the largest ship ever captured by pirates. The ship was en route from Saudi Arabia to the United States by way of the Cape of Good Hope
. At the time of the attack, it was about 450 nmi (517.9 mi; 833.4 km) southeast of the coast of Kenya
, carrying 25 crewmen and its tanks fully loaded with oil. The ship was estimated to be worth approximately , with its cargo worth at least .
Sirius Star was released on 9 January 2009, after the payment of a US $3 million dollar ransom. Three other VLCCs that have been ransomed by pirates are the Samho Dream, the Maran Centaurus, and the Irene SL.
with a length overall of 332 metres (1,089.2 ft), a beam
of 60 metres (196.9 ft), a hull depth of 31 metres (101.7 ft), and a draft
of 22.5 metres (73.8 ft). The ship can carry 2.2 Moilbbl of crude oil. It has a and a total cargo capacity of . Vessels of this size are classified as very large crude carriers or VLCCs.
The ship was built by Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering
(DSME) in Okpo
, Geoje
, South Korea. Its keel
was laid on 29 October 2007. Designated as hull number 5302, the ship was the 100th VLCC built by DSME.
Sirius Star was launched
by Huda M. Ghoson on 28 March 2008. The launch marked the first time a Saudi woman performed such a ceremony for Vela.
is a subsidiary of the Saudi Arabian state oil company Saudi Aramco
. Since its launch, the ship has been registered under the Liberian flag
and homeported in Monrovia
.
. Lt. Nate Christensen, a spokesman for the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet, said the pirates hijacked the very large crude carrier at about 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, 15 November, while it was southbound, about 450 nmi (517.9 mi; 833.4 km) southeast of the coast of Kenya
at 04°41′S 48°43′E — the farthest out to sea Somali pirates have struck. The attack also made Sirius Star the largest vessel ever to be hijacked. It is estimated that for the pirates to reach the Sirius Star, they must have voyaged south for three to four days.
At the time of the attack, the ship was carrying a full load of 2 Moilbbl of crude oil more than one-quarter of Saudi Arabia
's daily oil production output, and worth at least and was bound for the United States via the Cape of Good Hope
. According to officials from Puntland
, the pirates anchored Sirius Star at the Somali port of Harardhere
, contrary to early reports from the United States Navy
that the ship was anchored near Eyl
.
As a result of the full load of cargo, the height from the main deck to the waterline was relatively low; if its reported draft of 22 metres was correct, it had a freeboard
of about 9 metres (29.5 ft). Ships in this low-freeboard condition are easier to climb aboard and thus easier targets for pirates.
The 25 member crew, consisting of 19 Filipinos
, two Britons, two Poles
, one Croat and one Saudi Arabia
n, were reported to be safe. On 18 November 2008, Polish media confirmed that the two Polish officers on board were the Captain
Marek Niski and technical officer Leszek Adler. On 19 November 2008, Britain's Foreign and Commonwealth Office
named two of the British officers aboard the vessel: Chief Engineer
Peter French of County Durham
and second officer
James Grady of Strathclyde
.
On 18 November 2008, the pirates opened negotiations with Vela. In a press release dated that day, Vela stated that all crewmembers were safe. In the same press release, the company said it was working towards a "safe and speedy return" of all crewmembers, leaving open the possibility of ransom payment.
On 19 November, the alleged pirate, Farah Abd Jameh, provided information regarding the ransom by audio tape broadcast over Al-Jazeera television. The tape specified that an unspecified cash ransom was to be delivered to the Sirius Star, where it would be counted using machines that were able to detect counterfeit bills.
On 20 November, the pirates demanded a US$25 million ransom having set a 10-day deadline. Mohamed Said stated: "We do not want long-term discussions to resolve the matter. The Saudis have 10 days to comply, otherwise we will take action that could be disastrous." British foreign secretary David Miliband ruled out Britain paying any form of ransom, saying "There is a strong view of the British Government, and actually the international community, that payments for hostage-taking are only an encouragement to further hostage-taking." On 24 November, it was announced that the pirates had reduced their ransom demand to US$15 million.
Reuters news
reported that a small faction of Somali Islamic rebels had planned to attack MV Sirius Star to liberate it from the hijackers. The faction's planned attack on the hijackers is seen in retaliation for them seizing a "Muslim" vessel. Locals in Harardhere have said the threats of attack from Islamic militants have forced the pirates to leave the port and stay offshore at a distance of approximately 100 km (62 mi). A spokesman for the Islamic rebel group, Abdirahim Isse Adow, stated "We are against this act and we shall hunt the ship wherever it sails, and free it."
reported that the ship had been freed after a ransom of $3 million had been paid. Five of the "dozens" of pirates are reported to have drowned after their small boat capsized in a storm after leaving the Sirius Star with their share of the ransom. The body of one of the pirates that drowned later washed ashore with reportedly $153,000 in cash in a plastic bag.
After its release, the tanker sailed to the port of Fujairah
in the UAE, and the crew was replaced.
The attack came soon after naval forces from NATO, Russia, and India began to patrol the Horn of Africa region, in response to the MV Faina
hijacking seven weeks earlier and many other incidents. However, these patrols focus further north, especially near the Gulf of Aden
, and the attack came as a surprise. A British intelligence expert commented that "there will never be enough warships" to secure so much of the Indian Ocean by patrol.
This attack has shown that the pirates are now operating in an area of over 2.8 million square kilometers (1.1 million square miles), which extends beyond the recently-established international patrols closer to the Horn of Africa
. BBC News
has reported that news of the attack raised crude oil prices on global markets.
Oil tanker
An oil tanker, also known as a petroleum tanker, is a merchant ship designed for the bulk transport of oil. There are two basic types of oil tankers: the crude tanker and the product tanker. Crude tankers move large quantities of unrefined crude oil from its point of extraction to refineries...
owned and operated by Vela International Marine
Vela International Marine
Vela International Marine Limited is a Saudi Aramco-owned company headquartered on the 7th floor of City Tower 2 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Vela, established in 1984, currently owns 29 oil tankers most of which are Very Large Crude Carriers...
. With a length overall of 1090 feet (332.2 m) and a capacity of 2.2 Moilbbl of crude oil, the ship is classified as a very large crude carrier or VLCC. Vela is based in the United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates, abbreviated as the UAE, or shortened to "the Emirates", is a state situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman, and Saudi Arabia, and sharing sea borders with Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iran.The UAE is a...
and is a subsidiary of the Saudi Arabian state oil company Saudi Aramco
Saudi Aramco
Saudi Aramco , officially the Saudi Arabian Oil Company, is the national oil company of Saudi Arabia.Saudi Aramco is the world's largest and most valuable privately-held company, with estimates of its value in 2011 to be $7 trillion USD.Saudi Aramco has both the largest proven crude oil reserves,...
. Sirius Star is one of Vela's 24 tankers, of which 19 are VLCCs. Since its launch, the ship has been registered
Flag State
The flag state of a commercial vessel is the state under whose laws the vessel is registered or licensed.The flag state has the authority and responsibility to enforce regulations over vessels registered under its flag, including those relating to inspection, certification, and issuance of safety...
under the Liberian flag
Flag of convenience
The term flag of convenience describes the business practice of registering a merchant ship in a sovereign state different from that of the ship's owners, and flying that state's civil ensign on the ship. Ships are registered under flags of convenience to reduce operating costs or avoid the...
and homeported in Monrovia
Monrovia
Monrovia is the capital city of the West African nation of Liberia. Located on the Atlantic Coast at Cape Mesurado, it lies geographically within Montserrado County, but is administered separately...
.
Sirius Star was built by the South Korean company Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering
Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering
Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co., Ltd ' is the second largest shipbuilder in the world and one of the "Big Three" shipbuilders of South Korea.On 21 February 2011, the A. P...
. The ship's construction began in October 2007 and it was launched
Ship naming and launching
The ceremonies involved in naming and launching naval ships are based in traditions thousands of years old.-Methods of launch:There are three principal methods of conveying a new ship from building site to water, only two of which are called "launching." The oldest, most familiar, and most widely...
by Huda M. Ghoson in late March 2008. The launching ceremony was the first in Vela's history that was performed by a Saudi woman.
The ship received international attention when it was hijacked
Piracy
Piracy is an act of robbery or criminal violence at sea. The term can include acts committed on land, in the air, or in other major bodies of water or on a shore. It does not normally include crimes committed against persons traveling on the same vessel as the perpetrator...
by Somali pirates
Piracy in Somalia
Piracy off the coast of Somalia has been a threat to international shipping since the second phase of the Somali Civil War in the early 21st century...
on 15 November 2008, becoming the largest ship ever captured by pirates. The ship was en route from Saudi Arabia to the United States by way of the Cape of Good Hope
Cape of Good Hope
The Cape of Good Hope is a rocky headland on the Atlantic coast of the Cape Peninsula, South Africa.There is a misconception that the Cape of Good Hope is the southern tip of Africa, because it was once believed to be the dividing point between the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. In fact, the...
. At the time of the attack, it was about 450 nmi (517.9 mi; 833.4 km) southeast of the coast of Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
, carrying 25 crewmen and its tanks fully loaded with oil. The ship was estimated to be worth approximately , with its cargo worth at least .
Sirius Star was released on 9 January 2009, after the payment of a US $3 million dollar ransom. Three other VLCCs that have been ransomed by pirates are the Samho Dream, the Maran Centaurus, and the Irene SL.
Design and construction
Sirius Star is a double-hulled oil tankerOil tanker
An oil tanker, also known as a petroleum tanker, is a merchant ship designed for the bulk transport of oil. There are two basic types of oil tankers: the crude tanker and the product tanker. Crude tankers move large quantities of unrefined crude oil from its point of extraction to refineries...
with a length overall of 332 metres (1,089.2 ft), a beam
Beam (nautical)
The beam of a ship is its width at the widest point. Generally speaking, the wider the beam of a ship , the more initial stability it has, at expense of reserve stability in the event of a capsize, where more energy is required to right the vessel from its inverted position...
of 60 metres (196.9 ft), a hull depth of 31 metres (101.7 ft), and a draft
Draft (hull)
The draft of a ship's hull is the vertical distance between the waterline and the bottom of the hull , with the thickness of the hull included; in the case of not being included the draft outline would be obtained...
of 22.5 metres (73.8 ft). The ship can carry 2.2 Moilbbl of crude oil. It has a and a total cargo capacity of . Vessels of this size are classified as very large crude carriers or VLCCs.
The ship was built by Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering
Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering
Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co., Ltd ' is the second largest shipbuilder in the world and one of the "Big Three" shipbuilders of South Korea.On 21 February 2011, the A. P...
(DSME) in Okpo
Okpo
Okpo-dong is dong of the city of Geoje in South Gyeongsang Province, South Korea. The village is located on the eastern coast of Geoje Island and a center of the island....
, Geoje
Geoje
Geoje is a city located in South Gyeongsang province, just off the coast of the port city of Busan, South Korea. Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering in Okpo and Samsung Heavy Industries in Gohyeon are both located on Geoje Island. The city also offers a wide range of tourist sights...
, South Korea. Its keel
Keel
In boats and ships, keel can refer to either of two parts: a structural element, or a hydrodynamic element. These parts overlap. As the laying down of the keel is the initial step in construction of a ship, in British and American shipbuilding traditions the construction is dated from this event...
was laid on 29 October 2007. Designated as hull number 5302, the ship was the 100th VLCC built by DSME.
Sirius Star was launched
Ship naming and launching
The ceremonies involved in naming and launching naval ships are based in traditions thousands of years old.-Methods of launch:There are three principal methods of conveying a new ship from building site to water, only two of which are called "launching." The oldest, most familiar, and most widely...
by Huda M. Ghoson on 28 March 2008. The launch marked the first time a Saudi woman performed such a ceremony for Vela.
Career
Sirius Star is one of 24 tankers owned and operated by Vela, of which 19 are VLCCs. Vela, based in the United Arab EmiratesUnited Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates, abbreviated as the UAE, or shortened to "the Emirates", is a state situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman, and Saudi Arabia, and sharing sea borders with Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iran.The UAE is a...
is a subsidiary of the Saudi Arabian state oil company Saudi Aramco
Saudi Aramco
Saudi Aramco , officially the Saudi Arabian Oil Company, is the national oil company of Saudi Arabia.Saudi Aramco is the world's largest and most valuable privately-held company, with estimates of its value in 2011 to be $7 trillion USD.Saudi Aramco has both the largest proven crude oil reserves,...
. Since its launch, the ship has been registered under the Liberian flag
Flag of convenience
The term flag of convenience describes the business practice of registering a merchant ship in a sovereign state different from that of the ship's owners, and flying that state's civil ensign on the ship. Ships are registered under flags of convenience to reduce operating costs or avoid the...
and homeported in Monrovia
Monrovia
Monrovia is the capital city of the West African nation of Liberia. Located on the Atlantic Coast at Cape Mesurado, it lies geographically within Montserrado County, but is administered separately...
.
Hijacking
On 17 November 2008, the U.S. Navy announced that the Sirius Star had been hijacked by Somali piratesPiracy in Somalia
Piracy off the coast of Somalia has been a threat to international shipping since the second phase of the Somali Civil War in the early 21st century...
. Lt. Nate Christensen, a spokesman for the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet, said the pirates hijacked the very large crude carrier at about 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, 15 November, while it was southbound, about 450 nmi (517.9 mi; 833.4 km) southeast of the coast of Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
at 04°41′S 48°43′E — the farthest out to sea Somali pirates have struck. The attack also made Sirius Star the largest vessel ever to be hijacked. It is estimated that for the pirates to reach the Sirius Star, they must have voyaged south for three to four days.
At the time of the attack, the ship was carrying a full load of 2 Moilbbl of crude oil more than one-quarter of Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
's daily oil production output, and worth at least and was bound for the United States via the Cape of Good Hope
Cape of Good Hope
The Cape of Good Hope is a rocky headland on the Atlantic coast of the Cape Peninsula, South Africa.There is a misconception that the Cape of Good Hope is the southern tip of Africa, because it was once believed to be the dividing point between the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. In fact, the...
. According to officials from Puntland
Puntland
Puntland , officially the Puntland State of Somalia , is a region in northeastern Somalia, centered on Garowe in the Nugaal province. Its leaders declared the territory an autonomous state in 1998....
, the pirates anchored Sirius Star at the Somali port of Harardhere
Harardhere
Harardhere is a town in the Mudug province of central Somalia, also spelled Harardheere and Xarardhere or Xarard-heere. It has become notorious in recent times as a base for piracy in Somalia. A pirate cooperative exchange opened here in 2009 to finance pirate activities.In May of 2010, members of...
, contrary to early reports from the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
that the ship was anchored near Eyl
Eyl
Eyl is an ancient town in the northern Puntland region of Somalia. It is situated near the Hafun peninsula.-History:Eyl is the site of many historical artifacts from Somalia's pre-colonial period...
.
As a result of the full load of cargo, the height from the main deck to the waterline was relatively low; if its reported draft of 22 metres was correct, it had a freeboard
Freeboard (nautical)
In sailing and boating, freeboardmeans the distance from the waterline to the upper deck level, measured at the lowest point of sheer where water can enter the boat or ship...
of about 9 metres (29.5 ft). Ships in this low-freeboard condition are easier to climb aboard and thus easier targets for pirates.
The 25 member crew, consisting of 19 Filipinos
Filipinos
Filipinos is the brand name for a series of biscuit snacks made by Kraft Foods. In Spain and Portugal they are produced and sold under the Artiach brand name. Under license to United Biscuits, in the Netherlands they are sold and produced locally under the Verkade brand...
, two Britons, two Poles
Poles
thumb|right|180px|The state flag of [[Poland]] as used by Polish government and diplomatic authoritiesThe Polish people, or Poles , are a nation indigenous to Poland. They are united by the Polish language, which belongs to the historical Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages of Central Europe...
, one Croat and one Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
n, were reported to be safe. On 18 November 2008, Polish media confirmed that the two Polish officers on board were the Captain
Captain (nautical)
A sea captain is a licensed mariner in ultimate command of the vessel. The captain is responsible for its safe and efficient operation, including cargo operations, navigation, crew management and ensuring that the vessel complies with local and international laws, as well as company and flag...
Marek Niski and technical officer Leszek Adler. On 19 November 2008, Britain's Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office, commonly called the Foreign Office or the FCO is a British government department responsible for promoting the interests of the United Kingdom overseas, created in 1968 by merging the Foreign Office and the Commonwealth Office.The head of the FCO is the...
named two of the British officers aboard the vessel: Chief Engineer
Chief Engineer
In marine transportation, the chief engineer is a licensed mariner in charge of the engineering department on a merchant vessel. "Chief engineer" is the official title of someone qualified to oversee the entire engine department; the qualification is colloquially called a "chief's...
Peter French of County Durham
County Durham
County Durham is a ceremonial county and unitary district in north east England. The county town is Durham. The largest settlement in the ceremonial county is the town of Darlington...
and second officer
Second Mate
A second mate or second officer is a licensed member of the deck department of a merchant ship. The second mate is the third in command and a watchkeeping officer, customarily the ship's navigator. Other duties vary, but the second mate is often the medical officer and in charge of maintaining...
James Grady of Strathclyde
Strathclyde
right|thumb|the former Strathclyde regionStrathclyde was one of nine former local government regions of Scotland created by the Local Government Act 1973 and abolished in 1996 by the Local Government etc Act 1994...
.
On 18 November 2008, the pirates opened negotiations with Vela. In a press release dated that day, Vela stated that all crewmembers were safe. In the same press release, the company said it was working towards a "safe and speedy return" of all crewmembers, leaving open the possibility of ransom payment.
Ransom demand and deadline
On 19 November, the alleged pirate, Farah Abd Jameh, provided information regarding the ransom by audio tape broadcast over Al-Jazeera television. The tape specified that an unspecified cash ransom was to be delivered to the Sirius Star, where it would be counted using machines that were able to detect counterfeit bills.
On 20 November, the pirates demanded a US$25 million ransom having set a 10-day deadline. Mohamed Said stated: "We do not want long-term discussions to resolve the matter. The Saudis have 10 days to comply, otherwise we will take action that could be disastrous." British foreign secretary David Miliband ruled out Britain paying any form of ransom, saying "There is a strong view of the British Government, and actually the international community, that payments for hostage-taking are only an encouragement to further hostage-taking." On 24 November, it was announced that the pirates had reduced their ransom demand to US$15 million.
Reuters news
Reuters
Reuters is a news agency headquartered in New York City. Until 2008 the Reuters news agency formed part of a British independent company, Reuters Group plc, which was also a provider of financial market data...
reported that a small faction of Somali Islamic rebels had planned to attack MV Sirius Star to liberate it from the hijackers. The faction's planned attack on the hijackers is seen in retaliation for them seizing a "Muslim" vessel. Locals in Harardhere have said the threats of attack from Islamic militants have forced the pirates to leave the port and stay offshore at a distance of approximately 100 km (62 mi). A spokesman for the Islamic rebel group, Abdirahim Isse Adow, stated "We are against this act and we shall hunt the ship wherever it sails, and free it."
Release of ship
On 9 January 2009, the BBCBBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
reported that the ship had been freed after a ransom of $3 million had been paid. Five of the "dozens" of pirates are reported to have drowned after their small boat capsized in a storm after leaving the Sirius Star with their share of the ransom. The body of one of the pirates that drowned later washed ashore with reportedly $153,000 in cash in a plastic bag.
After its release, the tanker sailed to the port of Fujairah
Fujairah
Fujairah is one of the seven emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates, and the only one on the Gulf of Oman in the country's east instead of Persian Gulf .-History:...
in the UAE, and the crew was replaced.
Effects of the hijacking
MV Faina
The MV Faina is a roll-on/roll-off cargo ship operated by a Ukrainian company that sails under a Belize flag of convenience.The Faina is owned by Waterlux AG, based in Panama City, and managed by Tomex Team in Odessa, Ukraine....
hijacking seven weeks earlier and many other incidents. However, these patrols focus further north, especially near the Gulf of Aden
Gulf of Aden
The Gulf of Aden is located in the Arabian Sea between Yemen, on the south coast of the Arabian Peninsula, and Somalia in the Horn of Africa. In the northwest, it connects with the Red Sea through the Bab-el-Mandeb strait, which is about 20 miles wide....
, and the attack came as a surprise. A British intelligence expert commented that "there will never be enough warships" to secure so much of the Indian Ocean by patrol.
This attack has shown that the pirates are now operating in an area of over 2.8 million square kilometers (1.1 million square miles), which extends beyond the recently-established international patrols closer to the Horn of Africa
Horn of Africa
The Horn of Africa is a peninsula in East Africa that juts hundreds of kilometers into the Arabian Sea and lies along the southern side of the Gulf of Aden. It is the easternmost projection of the African continent...
. BBC News
BBC News
BBC News is the department of the British Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs. The department is the world's largest broadcast news organisation and generates about 120 hours of radio and television output each day, as well as online...
has reported that news of the attack raised crude oil prices on global markets.