China extends anti-piracy effort near Somalia

• Source: Global Times
• [08:11 January 04 2010]
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The week-long pursuit and hunt began with the capture of the UK-flagged St. James Park on December 29, which was en route to Thailand, according to CNN.

The "triumphant" start was quickly reinforced three hours later by a grab of a Panamanian-flagged, Greek-managed carrier Navios Apollon off the southern coast of Somalia.

Then, on New Year's Day, when revelers worldwide were mesmerized by seasonal festivities, the pirates seized the British-flagged cargo ship Asian Glory.

However, their new year hunting tour was far from finished as the list of their prey was further swelled on the same day with the snatch of the Singaporean-registered chemical tanker Pramoni.

The rising piracy mirrors the deficiency of the international community's heightened naval escorts in the waters of the Gulf of Aden, the busiest shipping lane in the world.

China's Ministry of Transport has reissued a notice requiring Chinese shipping enterprises and crews to enhance precautionary efforts against pirates, Xu Zuyuan, deputy transport minister, said Saturday in Beijing.

In the past two years, over 80 vessels were seized by the undaunted pirates, who now hold 14 vessels and approximately 300 crew. The hijacked ships usually draw multi-million-dollar ransoms, AP reported.

Agencies contributed to this story