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Chinese navy starts patrol in Somalia hijack zone
By Li Xinran |
January 6, 2009, Tuesday
|
Online Edition
Online Edition
CHINESE navy ships have officially started patrolling the hijack-infested waters off Somalia after arriving in the area early today.
The fleet with two destroyers, Haikou and Wuhan, and a supply vessel, Weishanhu, arrived in the Gulf of Aden Bay after a 10-day voyage.
A total of 15 Chinese merchant ships have applied for escort to China's Ministry of Transport, which began accepting applications today, said spokesman He Jianzhong.
Chinese vessels going through the Gulf of Aden and waters off Somalia, within 57 degrees east longitude and 15 degrees north latitude in the Red Sea, are eligible.
The United Nations' vessels or international organizations transporting humanitarian cargoes may also apply for Chinese navy's protection.
As a government endeavor, the escort is totally free, according to the spokesman.
Ship owners should submit applications through China Ship Owners' Association, He said.
China's anti-pirate center and maritime rescue center will jointly review applications and all details should be notified to the Chinese navy seven days in advance, the spokesman added.
There have been 124 incidents of piracy off Somalia this year and some 60 successful hijacks, according to Andrew Mwangura of the East African Seafarers Assistance program.
Nearly 400 people and 19 ships are being held along the coast, including a Saudi supertanker with 2 million barrels of oil and a Ukrainian cargo ship with 33 tanks.
The resolution passed by the 15-nation Security Council on December 16 said countries "may undertake all necessary measures in Somalia, including in its airspace" to stop the pirates.
China is now involved in peacekeeping operations around the world including Haiti and Sudan's troubled Darfur region, and was praised in July by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for its contribution of both funds and forces, earlier reports said.
The fleet with two destroyers, Haikou and Wuhan, and a supply vessel, Weishanhu, arrived in the Gulf of Aden Bay after a 10-day voyage.
A total of 15 Chinese merchant ships have applied for escort to China's Ministry of Transport, which began accepting applications today, said spokesman He Jianzhong.
Chinese vessels going through the Gulf of Aden and waters off Somalia, within 57 degrees east longitude and 15 degrees north latitude in the Red Sea, are eligible.
The United Nations' vessels or international organizations transporting humanitarian cargoes may also apply for Chinese navy's protection.
As a government endeavor, the escort is totally free, according to the spokesman.
Ship owners should submit applications through China Ship Owners' Association, He said.
China's anti-pirate center and maritime rescue center will jointly review applications and all details should be notified to the Chinese navy seven days in advance, the spokesman added.
There have been 124 incidents of piracy off Somalia this year and some 60 successful hijacks, according to Andrew Mwangura of the East African Seafarers Assistance program.
Nearly 400 people and 19 ships are being held along the coast, including a Saudi supertanker with 2 million barrels of oil and a Ukrainian cargo ship with 33 tanks.
The resolution passed by the 15-nation Security Council on December 16 said countries "may undertake all necessary measures in Somalia, including in its airspace" to stop the pirates.
China is now involved in peacekeeping operations around the world including Haiti and Sudan's troubled Darfur region, and was praised in July by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for its contribution of both funds and forces, earlier reports said.
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