Nave-Atropos Ship Details and Seafarer Feedback

Navios Maritime has recently engaged in a significant sale and leaseback transaction involving their fleet of Korean vessels. The deal encompasses three LR1 tankers: the 'Nave Cielo' (IMO 75/2007 STX), 'Nave Ariadne' (IMO 75/2007 STX), and 'Nave Atropos' (IMO 75/2013 Sungdong), along with three MR2 tankers: 'Bougainville' (IMO 51/2013 STX), 'Nave Equator' (IMO 50/2009 SPP), and 'Nave Pyxis' (IMO 50/2014 Dae Sun). This comprehensive package was sold for an impressive USD 90.8 million en bloc to Chinese buyers, with an attractive average time charter (T/C) of 6.4 years back. This strategic move reflects Navios Maritime’s ongoing efforts to optimize its asset portfolio while securing stable cash flow through long-term charters.

On the evening of January 17, 2014, the product tanker Nave Atropos encountered a hostile situation 115 nautical miles south of Salalah, Oman, while en route from Fujairah. A skiff launched from a nearby mother vessel approached the tanker, opening fire with small arms. Promptly, the captain issued a distress signal, accelerated the ship's speed, and altered its course to evade the attackers, while activating the Ship Security Alert System (SSAS) and alerting the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO). Non-essential crew members were safely mustered in the citadel as the on-board armed security team engaged the pirates with a counterattack. Despite the protective measures, the pirates persisted in their approach, continuing their assault on the vessel. Ultimately, the decisive response from the security personnel was sufficient to compel the attackers to retreat back to the safety of their mothership, allowing the Nave Atropos to proceed with its journey and report the incident to the relevant authorities. Meanwhile, the Japanese destroyer Samidare, tasked with escorting merchant vessels within the Internationally Recommended Transit Corridor (IRTC) in the Gulf of Aden, received reports of the incident while supporting the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) Combined Task Force (CTF) 151. The Samidare promptly redirected towards the tanker, deploying her helicopter to search for the suspected pirate mothership. Thankfully, all crew aboard the tanker remained unharmed, and the vessel continued its westbound voyage. Working in conjunction with a Japanese Maritime Patrol Aircraft, the helicopter from Samidare successfully located the suspected pirate dhow and communicated its coordinates to the French EU NAVFOR flagship, Siroco. The Siroco closed the gap to the dhow, launching its own helicopter and boarding party. Upon approach, the team observed notable suspicious activity as individuals onboard the dhow discarded equipment overboard, reinforcing their belief that it was the same vessel tied to the pirate attack. When the Siroco's boarding team took control of the dhow, they apprehended five Somali suspects who were separated from the dhow's crew and transferred for further investigation. Initial statements from the dhow's captain corroborated suspicions that pirates had hijacked his vessel and taken his crew hostage days earlier off the coast of Somalia, claiming that these same suspects had also perpetrated the attack on the Nave Atropos the previous day. For more details and photos, visit: http://eunavfor.eu/first-pirate-attack-in-2014-in-the-gulf-of-aden-resulted-in-apprehension-of-suspects-by-eu-naval-force/