Author Topic: Sirius Star Hijacked  (Read 17338 times)

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Re: Sirius Star Hijacked
« Reply #30 on: November 20, 2008, 05:07:40 PM »
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Ellwood wrote:
Listening on the radio this afternoon mention was made of an audible device that can be used to deter Pirates - evidently it is played though speakers and emits a high pitched sound that causes extreme pain to humans


Hi All

Just found this web site which gives details of the Long Range Acoustic Device - LRAD
http://www.defense-update.com/products/l/LRAD.htm

Beluga Shipping are fitting this equipment to their heavy lift vessels  to deter pirate attacks.

Regards

Offline Brian Cawkwell

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Re: Sirius Star Hijacked
« Reply #31 on: November 20, 2008, 06:07:37 PM »
Quote

Ellwood wrote:
Quote:

Ellwood wrote:
Listening on the radio this afternoon mention was made of an audible device that can be used to deter Pirates - evidently it is played though speakers and emits a high pitched sound that causes extreme pain to humans


Hi All

Just found this web site which gives details of the Long Range Acoustic Device - LRAD
http://www.defense-update.com/products/l/LRAD.htm

Beluga Shipping are fitting this equipment to their heavy lift vessels  to deter pirate attacks.

Regards


That some piece of kit Steve, I remember the cruise ship that was attacked and the pirates went unsuccessfully after using the LRAD ,Ithink it was on the News.
Here is some more info on the LRAD:_
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long_range_acoustic_device

Offline Fred Vloo

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Re: Sirius Star Hijacked
« Reply #32 on: November 21, 2008, 09:53:36 AM »
Heavily armed Islamists went to Haradheere port on Friday in search of the pirate group behind the seizure of a Saudi Arabian supertanker that was the world's biggest hijack, a local elder said.
The Islamists say they will attack the pirates for hijacking a Muslim ship," the elder, who asked not to be named, are at Haradheere, where the Sirius Star and its $100 million oil cargo is believed anchored offshore.

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Re: Sirius Star Hijacked
« Reply #33 on: November 21, 2008, 10:12:51 AM »
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fredvloo wrote:
 Heavily armed Islamists went to Haradheere port on Friday in search of the pirate group behind the seizure of a Saudi Arabian supertanker that was the world's biggest hijack, a local elder said.
The Islamists say they will attack the pirates for hijacking a Muslim ship," the elder, who asked not to be named, are at Haradheere, where the Sirius Star and its $100 million oil cargo is believed anchored offshore.


Hi Fred

Just goes to show the degree of lawlessness that exists in Somalia - by the way, QE2 is currently on her way through the Suez Canal and headed for the Gulf of Aden. Wonder what precautions are going to be in place for her transit, although at top speed I doubt any speedboat could board her!

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Offline Fred Vloo

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Re: Sirius Star Hijacked
« Reply #34 on: November 21, 2008, 12:40:29 PM »
If they attack QE2 they may have a second problem, because QE2 could be considered a Muslimship as well. I also think QE2's freeboard is high enough together with her max speed as you mentioned, should be hard to get. Is she still able to reach her topspeed?

Cheers Fred

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Re: Sirius Star Hijacked
« Reply #35 on: November 21, 2008, 01:00:57 PM »
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fredvloo wrote:
If they attack QE2 they may have a second problem, because QE2 could be considered a Muslimship as well. I also think QE2's freeboard is high enough together with her max speed as you mentioned, should be hard to get. Is she still able to reach her topspeed?

Cheers Fred


Hi Fred

Some interesting facts on her Engine Room here:
http://www.qe2.org.uk/engine.html

Top speed from her 9 engines - 32 knots

I would imagine that whilst she only uses 7 of those 9, the other 2 are maintained as back ups.

This fact focus's the mind when thinking about fuel consumption:

At the service speed of 28.5 knots, consumption is 380 tons per day: this equates to 50 ft/gall.

Regards

Offline Deli

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Re: Sirius Star Hijacked
« Reply #36 on: November 21, 2008, 01:29:44 PM »
I dont believe this is a simple piracy incident
I think we are living a global play for control (oil) tradeways and also for east Africa  :-o
8-) :pint:

Offline Morten

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Re: Sirius Star Hijacked
« Reply #37 on: November 21, 2008, 04:56:01 PM »
Hey guys

I don't think you have to worry about theQEII being boarded by pirates! A ship of that size, steaming at that speed would be virtually impossible to board by boat! Especially if you have to crawl up a piece of rope! The fastest I've ever embarked a pilot from a boat was 17.5 knots in the Messina strait and that was via a rope ladder. Nothing short of a helicopter would do it. We've been hailed several times by anti terrorist teams in asia (especially HK) wanting to board our ship at service speed (~22.5 kn) and even they say that it is impossible for them to embark via boat at that speed. Whether that be down to our freeboard or our service speed, I do not know, but if they can't make it onto a containership, I don't think they'll make it on to the QEII either! And if I was the master of the QEII, I'd push her to her limits through that area to get her through as fast as possible! I think she'll be doing at least 28 kn going through the gulf!

Offline Brian Cawkwell

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Re: Sirius Star Hijacked
« Reply #38 on: November 21, 2008, 07:51:53 PM »
Hi ,
Can you imagine what the wash would be like off the QE2 at 28 knots,It would be very difficult to get alongside.This video shows her crossing the Atlantic:-

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=3-Uad4_HKP8&feature=related

Offline Roger Hill

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Re: Sirius Star Hijacked
« Reply #39 on: November 22, 2008, 07:46:32 AM »
Hi Guys,

I would have thought that an RPG pointed at the bridge would act as a fairly powerful stop sign slowing down even the largest and fastest vessel.

I traveled through the Gulf of Aden and onto Suez in April this year aboard the containership EVER CHIVALRY (348 meters) running at 23 knots and felt the crews nervousness.

This is a scourge and I hope for all sailors

Offline mooringman

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Re: Sirius Star Hijacked
« Reply #40 on: November 22, 2008, 01:03:30 PM »
@Roger
i think ,you are right.A RPG pointed to the bridge is always a good stop sign,especially on a VLCC.And it will work at a cruise ship too....
I doubt,that the pirates can enter such big ships even with 15 knots,you have to decrease the speed,otherwise the big vessels will wash you in the sea.
What will you do as a responsible captain with a threat like this?Stop the vessel or have the risk to be killed or destroyed,and have the risk for crew,ship and cargo?There is only one decision......

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Re: Sirius Star Hijacked
« Reply #41 on: November 22, 2008, 01:58:48 PM »
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mooringman wrote:
@Roger
i think ,you are right.A RPG pointed to the bridge is always a good stop sign,especially on a VLCC.And it will work at a cruise ship too....
I doubt,that the pirates can enter such big ships even with 15 knots,you have to decrease the speed,otherwise the big vessels will wash you in the sea.
What will you do as a responsible captain with a threat like this?Stop the vessel or have the risk to be killed or destroyed,and have the risk for crew,ship and cargo?There is only one decision......


Hi Klaus-Peter

Well that threat did not stop the Captain of the Kapitan Maslov - this from Lloyds List @ http://www.lloydslist.com/ll/news/hong-kong-owners-call-for-action-as-bulker-is-freed/20017591672.htm

The dangers posed to crew by pirate attacks was shown during an attack on the 1,728 teu container ship Kapitan Maslov on November 13. The 1998-built vessel, which is managed by Fesco Wallem, was hijacked by pirates about 480 km from the Somalian coastline.

The would-be hijackers fired rocket propelled grenades and automatic weapons from a high-speed launch in a failed attempt to stop the ship. Pictures taken after the attack show extensive damage to the third mate

Offline Morten

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Re: Sirius Star Hijacked
« Reply #42 on: November 22, 2008, 02:07:45 PM »
I'm sorry, but I strongly disagree! First off, pirates might be desperate, but they aren't stupid! They know their weapons and they know that they aren't going to do any damage with an RPG. I know RPGs seem like a scary deal, but the chances of actually hitting anything vital are virtually zero! These are dumb bombs with no particular charge made to cut through a stationary battle tank full of fuel and munitions. The worst thing they could do to a large ship with an RPG would be to take out a few navigational instruments (which have full redundancy anyway) or pierce a tank. And even if they were lucky enough to score a direct hit to a fuel tank, you'd get a leak but no explosion. This is not an explosive weapon, it is a cutting weapon. It works by instantly superheating and directing a jet of copper through metal. It is basically a flash in the pan! So you might need to do a bit of painting and mend a small hole in the tank, but nothing major! Even if they shot an RPG at a VLCC you'd probably not see any major damage. Definitely no explosion! To much fuel and no air. You'd need something like what they did to the Limberg in 2002! And anyway, what is a burning ship worth to the pirates?

If I encountered pirates pointing RPGs at me, the last thing I would do would be to slow down! I would point my ship straight at them and hopefully ram them - it is them or me! I know that the masters I have sailed with has the same attitude as we discuss it each time we transit the area (been through there 4 times from March to may). It is even in their standing orders that if we encounter pirates, we are to raise the general alarm and start evasive manouvers and if the pirates are so close that they'll actually be able to get onboard, we are to try and force them away (read: hit them). The last thing you would ever want on a container ship would be to be hijacked as the cargo is worth way more than they could ever hope to receive in ransom, so why would they need us once they have the ship in their possession?

This works on container vessels because they are big and fast. A tanker vessel however has another set of problems! They are basically sitting ducks! They can't manouver and because of the nature of their hull, the wash is dispersed outwards, so if you come up from behind they'll have relatively easy access to the ship despite them travelling at 15 kn. Tankers and small coasters are by far the most exposed vessels!

A cruise ship is ofcause a different matter, but again, you have to look at the alternative! What will happen if the pirates are successfull at hijacking a ship with 3-4000 people onboard. And then again, how many pirates do you think it would take to actually take control of such a massive vessel with so many wannabe-heroes? 4000 people with anything they can get their hands on against maybe 20 pirates with old soviet guns... Once again, they are pirates, not stupid!

 

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