MV Abdullah reaches Dubai’s Al Hamriya Port

The Bangladeshi-flagged ship ‘MV Abdullah’ which was released with all 23 crew members after 31 days of captivity by Somali pirates who hijacked the ship in the Indian Ocean, reached Al Hamriya Port of Dubai safely on Sunday.

The cargo vessel anchored at the port around 4:30 pm (Bangladesh time), said Mizanul Islam, media advisor KSRM group.

The vessel is now kept anchored at the port, according to the Marine Traffic Website.

The vessel will be taken to the jetty for unloading coals today or tomorrow.

Captain of MV Abdullah, Mohammad Abdur Rashid, said all the 23 crew members are safe and sound and two crew members will go to Bangladesh by a flight while the others will reach the vessel in the first week of May after unloading coal.

The Bangladeshi-flagged ship and its 23 crew members were released on April 13.

It took eight days to reach the United Arab Emirates.

A Somali news outlet reported that MV Abdullah was released for $5 million (Tk 55 crore).

Earlier, on March 12 at 1:30 pm Bangladesh time, Somali pirates boarded and took control of the MV Abdullah while it was en route from the port of Maputo, Mozambique, to the United Arab Emirates.

The ship was carrying 55,000 tons of coal. All 23 crew members on board are Bangladeshis. The ship is owned by SR Shipping Limited, an affiliate of Chattogram-based Kabir Group. The pirates then took the ship to the coast of Somalia.

Nine days after the ship was hijacked, the pirates contacted the ship‍‍`s owner‍‍`s group to demand ransom. There were then negotiations at various levels. The ship‍‍`s owner had hinted that the sailors would be released this month.

SR Shipping is one of the largest shipping companies in the country. They operate ocean-going merchant ships. The bulk carrier MV Abdullah, with a deadweight tonnage (DWT) of 45,653 tons, has an overall length (LOA) of 185.74 metres and a width of 30.4 metres.