$1.1m ransom paid to free German ship.

Muscat: An Antigua and Barbuda-flagged dry cargo ship - MV BBC Trinidad - arrived at the Qaboos PortAaon TuesdayAaafter its German owners paid a ransom of $1.1 million (about Dh4 million) to Somali pirates, who kept the ship and 13-member crew captive for over three weeks.

"The ransom demand was much higher than what we paid," Captain Thomas Awiszus, the chief negotiator for Beluga Shipping GmbH, told the mediaAaon TuesdayAaat the company's handling agents Gulf Agency Company (GAC) offices in Muscat. However, he did not reveal how much was demanded.

Awiszus, who is the director of human resources with Beluga Shipping, said the both the crew and the ship were in excellent condition. "My first impression is that even the cargo looks to be in a good condition," he said.

In the past, pirates had looted ships but the official said that none of the equipment of MV BBC Trinidad were looted.

He requested not to disturb the crew. "They have had a stressful three weeks and need some rest," he said, adding that the crew was still on board the ship that was anchored at the Qaboos Port.

Describing the ordeal of 13-member crew on board MV BBC Trinidad for three weeks, Awiszus said that the pirates put continuous pressure to extract ransom and threatened to kill the crew. "They forced crew to call their families and relatives for ransom," he said.

Negotiations

He said that he carried out all the negotiations with the pirates directly from Germany and took some help from 'experts' from Britain and Germany.

"We just took their advice but decision was ours."

He said the company did not consider using force to free the crew and ship. "We paid the entire amount in cash."

The pirates, the captain told Awiszus, carried automatic weapons and locked up the crew in cabins at night. "Two of the pirates carried rocket launchers while seven had machine guns with them," he said, adding that nine pirates initially boarded the ship and when the ship was freed, there were 18 of them.

Awisuz denied that the company would ever think of placing armed guards on board after this incident. "We are merchant ships and don't want guards."

He demanded a political dialogue and a quick solution to the menace. "Our captain said he could see four ships held hostage by the pirates in the area and there were more around," he revealed.

Awiszus suggested a convoy system and escort for the merchant ships in the Gulf of Aden to prevent pirates taking ships captive for ransom.

The vessel had tubes for the oil industry and large wood masts as cargo. Awiszus the cargo would be unloaded tomorrow or on Friday after proper inspection and the crew will fly out on Friday or Saturday.

He termed the Eiyl fishing village, around 1100 miles off Muscat, in Somalia, near Gulf of Aden as a haven for pirates. "Even as we freed our ship, another vessel, probably Korean, was being taken hostage in the same area," he said.

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