UPDATED: Maersk Alabama attacked by pirates
April 8, 2009
This morning, at around 05.00 UTC, Maersk Alabama, a 1,100 TEU container vessel, was attacked by pirates and presumed hijacked. The US flagged vessel has a crew of 20 US nationals and is owned and operated by Maersk Line, Limited in the US.
The vessel is deployed in Maersk Line's East Africa service network and was enroute to Mombasa, when it was attacked approximately 500 kilometres of the Somalia coast. Our initial concern is to ensure proper support of the crew and assistance to their families.
Maersk Alabama fact sheet
Owned and operated by Maersk Line, Limited
Geared: Yes, two cranes
Length: 155 meters
Width: 25 meters
Deadweight: 17,525 tonnes
Service speed: +18 knots
Build year: 1998
Built in: Taiwan
Flag: US
Home port: Norfolk, VA.
Maersk Alabama is deployed in Maersk Line’s EAF4 (East Africa 4) service. The rotation is Salalah, Djibouti, Mombasa.
Maersk Alabama is carrying 400 twenty-foot containers of food aid for amongst others WFP (World Food Programme).
General
In the East Africa trades, Maersk Line transports aid cargo such as vegetable oil, bulgur and general cargo (such as electronics, textiles, cars, etc.).
Maersk Line has 4 services to/from East Africa, connecting to Maersk Line’s global network via Salalah, Oman.
Maersk Line has been present in East Africa in more than 20 years.
A.P. Moller - Maersk A/S, press release