15.3.11

YORk: LPG tanker released - was mothership







LPG tanker York released by pirates on March 10 2011,  She was sailing empty after discharging her LPG cargo at the Shimanzi oil terminal in Mombasa,' Mwangura. With no insured cargo, ransom amount is unknown. Vessel took on board crew of another released vessel, m/v Rak Africana,  LPG tanker York pirated on October 23 2010 in 04 11 S 41 19 E, vessel was enroute Mombasa Kenya to Seyshelles.
 She was one of the four motherships used by pirates to extend their range into the Indian Ocean. Along with the chemical tanker, MV Hannibal II, MV Polar, MT Motivator and the MV Izumi, they had been called 'game changers'. The MV York was first suspected of being used as a mobile platform for pirate attacks in 2010. Prior to such large vessels being used, the atypical "mothership" was a fishing vessel hijacked for its food and water supply, and the ability to disguise the pirate's skiffs, although these vessels and dhows remain the basis of the pirate mothership fleet.   These large ships act as floating fuel stations allowing other motherships and pirated vessels to operate for longer and further. The ships', equipment and tools, and crews are placed under duress in order to be utilised to hijack other ships.
9220421 YORK  9VED8 LPG Tanker  5076  2000


Ship Type: Lpg tanker
Year Built: 2000
Length x Breadth: 100 m X 20 m
Gross Tonnage: 4807, DeadWeight: 5076 t
Speed recorded (Max / Average): 11.6 / 9 knots
Flag: Singapore [SG] 
Call Sign: 9VED8
IMO: 9220421, MMSI: 565525000


 Owned by the Greek shipping company, York Maritime and operated by Bernhard Schulte Ship Management in Germany



navfo
longchamp ransom
German Navy
hijack

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