ID :
106165
Fri, 02/12/2010 - 09:09
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/106165
The shortlink copeid
RMN SHIP RETURNS HOME AFTER ESCORT OPERATION IN GULF
LUMUT (Malaysia), Feb 12 (Bernama) -- After escorting Malaysian vessels in the Gulf of Aden for the past six months to serve as a deterrent to pirate attacks, the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) ship Bunga Mas 5 (BM 5) returned home Thursday morning.
Fleet Operations Commander Vice-Admiral Ahmad Kamarulzaman Ahmad
Badaruddin and the families of the BM 5 crew were on hand to welcome them upon
arrival here.
During the six-month operation, the BM 5 successfully escorted 33 convoys
comprising 45 state-owned commercial ships.
The operation was a strategic partnership between RMN and the Malaysian
International Shipping Corporation to protect Malaysian-registered trade ships
across the gulf.
The partnership combined armed forces and BM 5 personnel for incorporation
into
the RMN's Reserve Voluntary Force.
When launching the operation last year, RMN Chief Admiral Abdul Aziz
Jaafar was quoted as saying that the strategic partnership of multi-purpose ship
BM 5 indicated the country was committed in facing conflicts in the waters
outside the country.
Japan, South Korea and Germany were reportedly keen to apply the strategic
cooperation conducted by RMN to monitor the security route at the Gulf of
Aden.
The security monitor operations on Malaysian-registered ships were carried
out after two incidents of ship hijacks by pirates at the gulf in 2008.
In the first case on Aug 19, MT Bunga Melati 2 with 39 crewmen -- 29
Malaysians and the rest Filipinos -- was seized by the pirates in the waters off
Somalia and Yemen.
Ten days later, MT Bunga Melati 5, with 36 Malaysian and five Filipino
crewmen onboard, was seized on the same route.
Both ships and crewmen were released after the shipping corporation paid the
ransom.
Lumut is a small town (population 31,880) in the northern state of Perak,
Malaysia, situated about 84 km from Ipoh, 12 km from the town of Sitiawan and it
is the gateway to Pangkor Island. It is a quaint little town famous for its
beautiful seashell and coral handicrafts. This once little-known fishing town
has since become the home base of the Royal Malaysian Navy.
-- BERNAMA
Fleet Operations Commander Vice-Admiral Ahmad Kamarulzaman Ahmad
Badaruddin and the families of the BM 5 crew were on hand to welcome them upon
arrival here.
During the six-month operation, the BM 5 successfully escorted 33 convoys
comprising 45 state-owned commercial ships.
The operation was a strategic partnership between RMN and the Malaysian
International Shipping Corporation to protect Malaysian-registered trade ships
across the gulf.
The partnership combined armed forces and BM 5 personnel for incorporation
into
the RMN's Reserve Voluntary Force.
When launching the operation last year, RMN Chief Admiral Abdul Aziz
Jaafar was quoted as saying that the strategic partnership of multi-purpose ship
BM 5 indicated the country was committed in facing conflicts in the waters
outside the country.
Japan, South Korea and Germany were reportedly keen to apply the strategic
cooperation conducted by RMN to monitor the security route at the Gulf of
Aden.
The security monitor operations on Malaysian-registered ships were carried
out after two incidents of ship hijacks by pirates at the gulf in 2008.
In the first case on Aug 19, MT Bunga Melati 2 with 39 crewmen -- 29
Malaysians and the rest Filipinos -- was seized by the pirates in the waters off
Somalia and Yemen.
Ten days later, MT Bunga Melati 5, with 36 Malaysian and five Filipino
crewmen onboard, was seized on the same route.
Both ships and crewmen were released after the shipping corporation paid the
ransom.
Lumut is a small town (population 31,880) in the northern state of Perak,
Malaysia, situated about 84 km from Ipoh, 12 km from the town of Sitiawan and it
is the gateway to Pangkor Island. It is a quaint little town famous for its
beautiful seashell and coral handicrafts. This once little-known fishing town
has since become the home base of the Royal Malaysian Navy.
-- BERNAMA
