Wednesday March 20, 2024
Mogadishu (HOL) - The Somali pirates who hijacked the MV Abdullah, a Bangladesh-flagged vessel, have established initial contact with the ship's owners, SR Shipping, a branch of the Kabir Group, sparking an intricate negotiation process over the fate of the 23 Bangladeshi crew members held hostage since March 12.
The pirates reached out through an intermediary, marking a pivotal moment in a crisis that has captured international attention due to the resurgence of piracy off the Somali coast. Mizanul Islam, a spokesperson for Kabir Group, disclosed to Prothom Alo, a Bengali-language daily newspaper in Dhaka, Bangladesh, that discussions are underway. However, ransom demands have yet to be explicitly stated.
The MV Abdullah was en route from Maputo, Mozambique, to Al Hamriyah, United Arab Emirates, carrying 55,000 tonnes of coal when hijacked approximately 600 nautical miles from the Somali shoreline. Its capture adds to a growing list of maritime crimes in the region, reflecting a troubling revival of pirate activities.
HOL reported last week that the pirates are seeking at least $5 million for the release of the vessel and its crew.
Complicating the matter, foreign navies and Somali police are gearing up for a possible armed intervention, a move opposed by the ship-owning firm. "We do not support military action that might endanger our crew's lives," stated a senior official from KSRM, Kabir Group's parent organization.
The hijacking echoes the harrowing 2010 ordeal of MV Jahan Moni, also owned by KSRM. Somali pirates released the Bangladeshi ship with 26 crew members after a ransom of $4.72 million was paid. The Somali pirates detained the vessel for more than three months.
With the ship now anchored near the Gadabjiran coast, the international community watches closely as the delicate dance of negotiation unfolds.
The spike in piracy has reignited discussions on maritime security and the economic cost of piracy, estimated at $7 billion at its peak, underscoring the critical need for global cooperation in combating this enduring threat. As a result, the number of ships in the region has been significantly reduced since January 2024. In the first three weeks of March, the number of vessels transiting the Suez Canal fell 51% yearly, accounting for a 63% drop in gross tonnage.