Shipping firms may lose faith and refuse to pay ransom if hijackers don’t stick to their word.
The company that owns MT Asphalt Venture, the ship whose seven crew members continue to be kept hostage by Somali pirates in spite of receiving the ransom amount, has now appointed a third-party negotiator. It is said to be an international firm, expert in negotiating with pirates.
The tanker was hijacked off the coast of Dar es Salaam in the Indian Ocean region on September 22. It was decided that a multi-million dollar ransom amount would be paid to secure the release of the vessel and 15 crew members — seven officers and eight sailors, all of whom are Indians. The ransom amount was paid early last week. The pirates released the vessel and eight crew members, including one officer and seven sailors. However, they took six officers and one sailor back to Somalia.
Since then, the tanker’s Dubai-based owner and Mumbai-based manager, OMCI Shipmanagement, have been trying to get in touch with the pirates to secure the release of the remaining crew members.
Pat Anderson, the shipping company’s Europe-based spokesperson, said: “The negotiating company is trying to get in touch with the pirates, but there has been no contact yet.”
“The released vessel is in Somali waters,” said the shipping company’s India-based spokesperson. “The owners appeal to the pirates to honour their word and immediately release the hostages. Owners of other hijacked ships that are still captive will lose faith in the negotiation process unless those taken hostage from MT Asphalt Venture are released.”
Director general, shipping, Satish Agnihotri, said: “The pirates’ decision not to release half the crew despite receiving the ransom is bound to divide pirate groups operating from Somalia.” Experts said that shipping companies will in future be wary of paying the ransom money, as the pirates have proven themselves to be untrustworthy. This will affect piracy operations at large.
According to experts, piracy has become an organised business in Somalia. Several Somalis have invested in it to profit from the ransom amounts. If shipping companies stop paying the ransom, people who have invested in sea piracy stand to lose.
Agnihotri added: “The Indian Navy recently nabbed more than 100 Somali pirates. The pirates in the present case are trying to mount pressure on Indian agencies by not releasing the hostages. This also indicates that the pirate group which hijacked MT Asphalt Venture is connected to those nabbed by the navy.”
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