Yasa Neslihan is latest victim of

THE 82,849 dwt kamsarmax bulk carrier Yasa Neslihan is the latest ship to be hijacked by armed pirates operating in the waters off Somalia.

The 2005-built, Marshall Islands-flagged vessel is managed by Turkey"s Yasa Ship Management for Istanbul-based dry bulk operator Yasa Shipping Industry and Trade.

The ship was hijacked yesterday off the coast of Somalia with 20 crew members on board, said Yasa Ship Management"s legal consultants, Istanbul-based Ulgener.

Yasa Ship Management is taking all possible steps to secure the lives of the crew members, Ulgener said.

The ship was carrying a cargo of iron ore from Canada to China when the pirates attacked and all crew members are Turkish, an Ulgener spokesman told Lloyd"s List.

The pirates have so far made no requests, he added.

The Yasa Neslihan is classed by Nippon Kaiji Kyokai and insured by the UK P&I Club, while its registered owner is Marshall Islands-based Nouvelle Shipmanagement Co, according to the Equasis database.

Yasa Shipping & Trade is part of Yasa Holdings which also owns Yasa Tanker & Transporation. The dry bulk unit took delivery earlier this month of its first capesize ship, the 207,000 dwt Yasa Dream.

The company currently operates a fleet of 15 bulkers.

The International Maritime Bureau"s Piracy Reporting Centre reported a dramatic increase in attacks in the third quarter owing to the surge in hijackings off the coast of Somalia on ships including tankers and large bulk carriers.

The IMB noted that Somali pirates were now attacking on two fronts both the East Coast of the country and the Gulf of Aden, the major shipping lane linking Asia and Europe.

www.TurkishMaritime.Com.tr