A chemical tanker, the MV Fairchem Bogey, was hijacked by pirates Saturday while it was anchored at the Omani port of Salalah, owner Anglo-Eastern Ship Management said Sunday.
The Mumbai-based company received a call from the vessel on Saturday morning, saying that suspected pirates were boarding the vessel.
The ship was to load a methanol cargo, possibly from the area's only methanol producer, Oman's Salalah Methanol Company, methanol market sources said Monday.
The Salalah Methanol Company has a 1.095 million mt/year plant in the Salalah Free Zone.
A source close to the Salalah Methanol Company declined to confirm whether the ship was to load a cargo from the plant, although he said that "[methanol] supply was not expected to be disrupted."
A Singapore-based shipbroker source said that the Middle East was currently flushed with ships and finding another vessel to move the methanol cargo would not be a problem.
"At the time of the incident, the MV Fairchem Bogey [a 26,350 dwt chemical tanker] was in a designated anchorage [within the Salalah port limit] waiting for berthing instructions, after discharging at Al Jubail," Anglo-Eastern Ship Management said in a statement.
"The Omani Coast Guard approached the vessel within the hour but were warned off by the pirates who asked them to move away to avoid casualties to the crew," it said.
The vessel was manned by a crew of 21 Indians and "it appears that all are safe with no injuries," Anglo-Eastern said, adding there has been no contact with the pirates on board the ship.
Meanwhile, shipping company Gulf Agency Company said Sunday in a security alert that the hijacked vessel was heading toward Somalia.
