Stolt Valor reaches Muscat, contact with MV Delight

The merchant ship, MT Stolt Valor, released by Somali pirates has reached Muscat port in Oman on Saturday, ESM GM Captain Anshul Rajvanshy told Hindustan Times, reports Aurangzeb Naqshbandi.

The merchant ship, MT Stolt Valor, released by Somali pirates has reached Muscat port in Oman on Saturday, Ebony Ship Management (ESM) general manager Captain Anshul Rajvanshy told Hindustan Times.

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He said the crew would be replaced at Muscat. “We will be carrying out the crew change in Muscat. A different crew will pilot the ship now.”

Rajvanshy said, the 22 crewmembers on board the ship are safe and would be flown back to their respective countries after being attended by doctors and psychologists.

Somali pirates had captured the chemical tanker in the Gulf of Aden on September 15 and released it on November 16 after Japanese owners reportedly paid them a ransom of $2.5 million. Mumbai-based ESM is an agent of Fleet Management Limited, Hong Kong, the technical advisors of Central Marine Company, a Japanese firm that owns Stolt Valor.

“We are working out the modalities. It will take one or two days more to complete medical examination, documentation and ticketing processes to enable the crewmembers to fly back to their respective countries,” Rajvanshy said. They are expected to reach India by November 25.

A 24x7 helpdesk has also been set up to provide the families of the crewmembers with updates and also counselling to help them deal with the trauma.

National Union of Seafarers of India spokesman Sunil Nair said the crewmembers have to complete a lot of formalities at Muscat to enable them to return home.

Meanwhile, the Directorate General of Shipping said all the 25 crewmembers, including seven Indians, on board MV Delight, a Hong Kong flagged ship hijacked by Somali pirates in the Gulf of Aden on November 18, were safe and in good health.

The ship managers have reported that they were keeping families of crew updated on the status. Also the emergency response committee of Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines that had chartered the vessel was also following up the case, it added.