Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Non-Tech : Shipping - Oil & Gas Tankers, Dry cargo, LNG -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: AuBug who wrote (193)	11/29/2008 1:54:12 PM
From: AuBug	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 2670

Russian frigate to stay in Somali waters for another month MOSCOW, November 28, 2008 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's Neustrashimy (Fearless) missile frigate will continue protecting commercial vessels from pirate attacks off the Somali coast for another month, a senior officer on board the ship said on Friday. In October, Russia dispatched the Neustrashimy from its Northern Fleet to Somalia's coast to protect shipping in the country's waters, where pirates frequently capture ships for ransom. According to the UN, Somali pirates have attacked over 120 ships so far this year, resulting in the seizure of 39 vessels and the capture of at least 600 merchant seamen for ransom. The east African nation has been without a functioning government since 1991 and has no navy to police its coastline. "We are planning to remain in the Gulf of Aden for another month, and our future deployment will depend on the decision adopted by the Navy command," Capt. 1st Rank Oleg Gurinov said. During the current mission, the Neustrashimy has so far escorted six convoys, comprising a total of 20 ships, and prevented the seizure of at least two commercial vessels by pirates. The Russian frigate has a variety of heavy weaponry on board, including artillery, anti-ship missiles, and torpedoes. However, the counter-terrorism team on board uses mainly large-caliber machineguns, assault rifles, and grenade launchers to repel pirate attacks. "The use of artillery and missiles would be inappropriate. Small arms are sufficient," Gurinov said. However, the officer said that the Neustrashimy, like any other foreign warship patrolling Somali waters, has no right to attack unidentified vessels it suspects of piracy. "We may use weaponry against the pirates only when we are certain that a commercial vessel or our ship is under attack, because we must attempt to avoid the loss of human life," he said. At the end of its current sortie, the Neustrashimy will be replaced with another warship from either Russia's Pacific or Northern Fleet, a source from the Navy's main headquarters told RIA Novosti. Russia earlier said it would establish a regular presence for its warships in the trouble-hit region to ensure safe shipping along the Somali coast. en.rian.ru 2008 deployment to Somalia - In late September 2008, the Neustrashimy left the Baltic Fleet and was sent to the waters off the Somali coast to fight piracy in the region, and to intercept MV Faina, a Ukrainian ship bound for Kenya carrying 33 T-72 battle tanks and a hoard of ammunition, that was seized by pirates off the Horn of Africa. Russian navy spokesman Capt. Igor Dygalo told the Associated Press that the missile frigate Neustrashimy had left the Baltic Sea port of Baltiisk a day before the hijacking to cooperate with other unspecified countries in anti-piracy efforts. As of 27 October, it has joined a flotilla of NATO warships near the Somali coast. On November 11, it helped capture suspected pirates that had been attempting to board the MV Powerful. On November 16, 2008, it prevented pirates from capturing Saudi-Arabian ship MV Rabih. en.wikipedia.org