MV York
History | |
---|---|
Name | MV York |
Owner | York Maritime Co., Greece |
Operator | Bernhard Schulte Ship Management, Germany[2] |
Port of registry | Singapore |
Builder | Higaki Shipbuilding |
Launched | 27 March 2000 |
Identification |
|
Notes | Captured by Released by the pirates in March 2011. |
General characteristics | |
Tonnage | 5076 DWT |
Length | 101 m (331 ft) |
Beam | 20 m (66 ft) |
Draft | 5.8 m (19 ft)[1] |
Crew | 17 (October 2010)[3] |
The MV York is a
Piracy target
On its way from
Piracy mothership
The MV York became part of a fleet of captured merchant vessels that have been called "Large Pirate Support Vessels" (LPSVs)[7] and been considered "game-changing" in view of the increased operational capabilities.[8] Previously dhows and fishing boats had been used as motherships. This new strategy of using merchant vessels was initiated with the pirate-seized MV Izumi in the fall of 2010.[8] The use of merchant vessels enlarges the range of operations, increases transit speed, allows more pirates and skiffs to be taken along, provides better accommodations, gives access to radar and navigational technology, and reduces dependency on sea and weather conditions.[7][8] Using a larger ship, the pirates can attack a ship of equal size and apply heavier weapons from a more stable firing platform. The presence of hostages on such ships poses a problem for naval forces out to protect shipping lanes. The size of the ship, however, makes it easier to detect them and avoid them.[8]
By the end of 2010 four other merchant vessels were used as pirate motherships, namely the chemical tanker MV Hannibal II, the tanker MV Polar, the chemical tanker MT Motivator, and the MV Izumi.[7]
References
- ^ a b Marinetraffic. "York". Retrieved 30 January 2011.
- ^ a b Medeshi News (16 January 2011). "Hostage Cases Under Observation". Medeshi News. Archived from the original on 14 July 2011. Retrieved 30 January 2011. (Archived by WebCite® at )
- ^ a b c "Pirates seize 2 ships off Kenya". Associated Press. 24 October 2010. Retrieved 30 January 2011.
- ^ a b Der Spiegel (29 January 2011). "Tödliches Feuergefecht um gekaperte "Beluga Nomination" (in German). Archived from the original on 1 February 2011. Retrieved 29 January 2011.(Archived by WebCite® at )
- ^ Kokstad (15 March 2011). "Flags of Convenience: YORk: LPG tanker released - was mothership".
- ^ "MV York Likely Conducting Mothership Operations In The Indian Ocean". Oceanus. 24 December 2010. Retrieved 30 January 2011.
- ^ a b c Idarat Maritime (30 December 2010). "Large Pirate Support Vessels - "LPSVs"". Archived from the original on 14 March 2011. Retrieved 31 January 2011.(Archived by WebCite® at )
- ^ a b c d Richards, Michael (14 January 2011). "Smarter Somali pirates thwarting navies, NATO admits". AFP. Archived from the original on 22 January 2011. Retrieved 31 January 2011. (Archived by WebCite® at )