Saudi SIRIUS STAR Supertanker Hijacked, 400 Miles Off Kenyan Coast
Nov. 18, 2008
For years Somali pirates have been causing havoc in the Gulf of Aden, one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes, which connects Europe to Asia via the Suez Canal. But on Monday Somali pirates surpassed themselves. They have hijacked a Saudi supertanker along with its crew and oil cargo, and the incident may have really drastic consequences.
Over 300 metres long the Sirius Star is the largest ship ever seized by pirates. It was built in 2008 and is worth around 150 million dollars. In addition, the giant tanker’s capacity is two million barrels, which is more than one-quarter of Saudi Arabia’s daily output, so one may assume the oil cargo onboard Sirius Star is worth around 100 million dollars. Indeed, it is a king’s ransom for pirates.
News of the attack made crude oil prices jump on global markets, but it’s not only oil prices one should be concerned about.
Pirates boarded the Sirius Star roughly 400 miles off the Kenyan coast. This is another record achieved by Somali pirates, as before they didn’t have the heart to travel that far from the coast. Before the recent attacks it was widely viewed that pirates operate only within 200 miles off the coast.
Maritime expert Mikhail Voitenko says the raid into the open sea is a dangerous sign. Now, piracy is no longer confined to a small area near Somalia, and armed groups can now capture large ships that do not need to find port regularly and can be held hostage in the open sea for a long time. This may lead to the spread of piracy into the Indian and eventually Atlantic oceans.