24 November 2008

THE NETHERLANDS – A number of Dutch shipping companies have decided to adjust their shipping routes because of piracy off the Somali coast.

In the past few months, the number of attacks on ships passing through the Gulf of Aden has increased substantially.

The latest incident occurred last week as Somali pirates hijacked a Saudi Arabian supertanker carrying 100-million- dollars-worth of crude oil.

Each week, about 10 Dutch ships pass Somalia on their way to ports in Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

A number of shipping companies are now sending their ships round the Cape of Good Hope, a much longer and much more expensive route.

The shipping companies have made an urgent appeal to the Dutch government to provide better protection. The government will discuss the issue later this week.

[Radio Netherlands / Expatica]