Somali pirates have freed the Hong Kong-managed chemical tanker Fairchem Bogey, almost five months after the ship was hijacked in a daring attack in the outer port area of Salalah in Oman.
The release of the ship, which is managed by Anglo-Eastern Ship Management, was confirmed by Nato, which has naval forces patrolling in the Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean, and the Hong Kong Shipowners Association.
Sources said a ransom of US$8 million had been paid to free the ship and the 21 Indian crew.
The 25,390 dwt tanker was the first Hong Kong ship to be seized by Somali pirates since armed gangs started hijacking vessels off the coast of Somalia in 2007.
Peter Cremers, the chief executive of Anglo-Eastern and a former chairman of the shipowners association, could not be contacted.
Arthur Bowring, the managing director of the association, said the Fairchem Bogey was now heading for a safe port where the crew would be replaced and sent home. The ship was hijacked on August 20 and released on Friday.
The seizure of the vessel just six nautical miles off Salalah while waiting to load cargo raised concern in shipping circles because it was thought to mark a change in tactics by the pirates who boarded the tanker from a livestock carrier in fog.