Frigate Neustrashimy escorts next convoy through the Gulf of Aden

02.02.2010
Baltic Fleet's frigate Neustrashimy on Monday started escorting next convoy of civil ships through the Gulf of Aden, informs RIA Novosti referring to Russian Navy's official.

The convoy consists of Turkish-flagged Horizon, Bahamian-flagged Kition, and Medkas-Pipe flying Cyprus flag.

Late Jan 2009 the official representative of Russian Navy informed that Neustrashimy had escorted her first 12-ship international convoy through the Gulf of Aden. There were Russian sailors on board some vessels.

Neustrashimy was the first Russian warship deployed for counter-piracy mission. She had been performing tasks on enhancing navigation security there since Oct 2008 till Jan 2009. In January 2009 the frigate was shifted by Pacific Fleet's (PF) large ASW ship Admiral Vinogradov; she has been taking part in anti-piracy until March 2009. In April Admiral Vinogradov had been changed by PF large ASW ship Admiral Panteleev returned back to Vladivostok in June. After that the watch in the Gulf of Aden since July till Oct was kept by PF large ASW ship Admiral Tributs. On November 16 she returned to Vladivostok. Since Dec 1, 2009 the counter-piracy mission was carried out by Northern Fleet's large ASW ship Admiral Chabanenko. She took over the watch to Neustrashimy late January.

Russia intends to escalate its military presence off Somalia to continue fighting piracy, said Dmitry Rogozin, Russia's ambassador to NATO summarizing NATO-Russia Council held in Dec 2009.

Piracy emerged off Somalia is a consequence of civil war, poverty and impossibility to find legal job. Since 1991 there is no effective centralized power in this country. Since early 2007 over 20,000 people were killed in Somalia; about 1.5 mln people became homeless. Since late 2008 dozens warships from over 15 countries conduct anti-piracy missions at the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean.

Below is given Reuters' list of ships held captive by Somali pirates as of Jan 19.

Win Far 161. Thai tunaboat. Hijacked on Apr 6, 2009.

Al Khaliq. Panama-flagged ro-ro ship with 26 crewmembers (24 are Indians) was captured 180 marine miles west Seychelles on Oct 22, 2009. Shipowner and operator is SNP Shipping (Mumbai). Ship's deadweight is 38,305 tonnes.

Thai Union 3. Tunaboat with 27 crewmembers (23 are Russians) was captured 200 marine miles north Seychelles on Oct 29, 2009.

Theresa VIII. Chemical carrier with 28 Chinese crewmen was captured at southern part of Arabian Sea northwest Seychelles on Nov 16, 2009. As explained by one of pirates, the shipmaster died of injuries during seizure. Ship's deadweight is 22,294 tonnes.

Neseya. Indian dhow with 13-men Indian crew was hijacked on Dec 18, 2009 off the port of Kismayu, south Somalia.

Socotra 1. Yemeni vessel with 6 Yemenites was captured at the Gulf of Aden on Dec 25, 2009.

Al Mahmoud 2. On Dec 28 it was reported that Yemeni ship with 15 Yemenites sailed off port of Aden on Dec 18 was hijacked by pirates.

St James Park. British-flagged chemical carrier was captured at the Gulf of Aden while sailing from Spain to Thailand on Dec 28, 2009. There are 3 Russians, 2 Ukrainians, 6 Indians, 5 Bulgarians, 3 Turks, 3 Filipinos, 2 Romanians, 1 Georgian, and 1 Pole on board. Ship's deadweight is 13,924 tonnes.

Navios Apollon. Panama-flagged ship with 19 crewmen and cargo of fertilizers was hijacked 800 marine miles north Seychelles on Dec 28, 2009 while sailing from the U.S. to India. Ship's deadweight is 52,000 tonnes.

Asian Glory. British-flagged automobile carrier was captured 900 marine miles north Seychelles on Jan 1, 2010 while sailing from Singapore to Saudi Arabia. There are 10 Ukrainians, 8 Bulgarians, 5 Indians, 2 Romanians and 2,405 Hyundai and KIA cars on board.

MV Pramoni. Chemical carrier flying flag of Singapore was hijacked at the Gulf of Aden on Jan 1, 2010 while sailing from Italy to India. Complement is 17 Indonesians, 5 Chinese, 1 Nigerian, and 1 Vietnamese. Ship's deadweight is 20,000 tonnes.

Layla-S. Cambodian cargo ship with Pakistani, Indians, Ceylonese, Syrians and Somalis crewmen on board was captured on Jan 27, 2010 off port of Berbera north Somalia.

Source: RusNavy.com, photo: BF frigate Neustrashimy (dailymail.co.uk)