Jul 18 UPDATE: Management official Statement:
Alison Management Corp. as management company of the chemical/bunkering tanker MV Curacao Trader , IMO No:9340908 advises that its vessel was attacked by pirates approx. 210 miles off the coast of Benin at 1100 hrs local time on 17th July.
13 out of its 19 Ukranian and Russian crew members have been taken hostage by the pirates – as a result the ship is currently drifting with limited man power on board.
Immediate assistance has been secured from nearby refrigerated carrier MV Frio Chikuma , owned by Laskaridis Family interests , which is currently proceeding full speed towards the Curacao Trader with expected ETA at noon today July 18th local time.
Chemical tanker CURACAO TRADER was attacked at around 1100 UTC Jul 17 in Gulf of Guinea, 230 nm south of Lagos, Nigeria, while en route from Lome Togo to undefined port. Pirates boarded tanker and kidnapped 15 crew, according to Dryad/IMB report. They’re believed to be of Russian and Ukrainian nationalities. Tanker AIS was off after pirates boarded tanker, she reappeared at around 1850 UTC, south of attack position, moving in northern direction at a reduced speed.
Chemical tanker CURACAO TRADER, IMO 9340908, dwt 11322, built 2007, flag Liberia, manager LAVINIA Corp, Greece (EQUASIS).
