''Samho Dream'' is a

South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the southern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and borders North Korea along the Korean Demilitarized Zone, with the Yellow Sea to the west and t ...

n, Marshall-Island flagged

supertanker An oil tanker, also known as a petroleum tanker, is a ship designed for the bulk transport of oil or its products. There are two basic types of oil tankers: crude tankers and product tankers. Crude tankers move large quantities of unrefined cr ...

that was carrying

oil An oil is any nonpolar chemical substance that is composed primarily of hydrocarbons and is hydrophobic (does not mix with water) and lipophilic (mixes with other oils). Oils are usually flammable and surface active. Most oils are unsaturate ...

from

Iraq Iraq, officially the Republic of Iraq, is a country in West Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to Iraq–Saudi Arabia border, the south, Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq border, the east, the Persian Gulf and ...

to the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

when it was hijacked by

Somali pirates Horn of Africa * Somali Peninsula, a region of East Africa, also known as "The Horn of Africa" * Somalis, an inhabitant or ethnicity associated with Greater Somali Region ** Greater Somalia ** Somali language, a Cushitic language ** Somali culture ...

on April 4, 2010. At the time, the vessel was crewed by 24 sailors: five South Koreans and nineteen

Filipinos Filipinos () are citizens or people identified with the country of the Philippines. Filipinos come from various Austronesian peoples, all typically speaking Filipino language, Filipino, Philippine English, English, or other Philippine language ...

. The owner of the craft, Korea-based SH Tankers Limited said a pirate source named Mohamed had said the ship was heading for Haradheere, the pirates' base at which many ships are held during ransom negotiations. On November 6, 2010, after being held for 217 days, the ship was released from under pirate control for a ransom of about $9 million. Three other VLCCs that have been ransomed by pirates are the '' Sirius Star'', the '' Maran Centaurus'', and the '' Irene SL''. The VLCC was arrested on its arrival in Hong Kong on 18 October 2011. Admiralty judge Justice Anselmo Reyes ordered that the ship be sold over the non-payment of bank loans, according to the South China Morning Post, as Samho Shipping filed for bankruptcy protection after the Busan-based company ran out of cash. The ''Samho Dream'' was built in 2002, and has been renamed ''Skopelos'' by its new owners.

References

Maritime incidents in 2010 Piracy in Somalia Oil tankers 2002 ships {{Merchantship-stub

See also

References