The Bangladeshi-flagged vessel MV Abdullah, recently liberated from Somali pirates, was scheduled to depart Al-Hamriya Port in the United Arab Emirates for Bangladesh on Sunday afternoon, officials confirmed.
The vessel, which remained under the control of Somali pirates for 33 days, successfully unloaded 55,000 metric tonnes of coal at Al-Hamriya Port on Saturday. The owner, KSRM Group, announced that the vessel and its crew of 23 sailors were expected to arrive at Chattogram Port by mid-May.
Mizanul Islam, a spokesperson for the Chattogram-based KSRM Group, reported that the loading operations were completed on Saturday, and the vessel was ready to embark on its journey back to Bangladesh.
MV Abdullah initially anchored at the UAE port on the evening of April 22, after being released by the pirates. Distinguished guests including Mohammad Abu Jafar, the Bangladesh ambassador, and officials from SR Shipping, the vessel鈥檚 operating company, were present to welcome the crew upon their arrival.
The ship first arrived at the outer anchorage of the port on April 21, following its ordeal which began on March 12 when it was seized by Somali pirates about 600 nautical miles off the Somali coast en route from Mozambique to Dubai.
The pirates took control of the vessel and its crew, holding them until a ransom of Tk聽55 crore facilitated their release on the night of April 13.
Following the release, MV Abdullah headed to Al-Hamriya Port under the escort of an EU NAVFOR warship, navigating through approximately 480 nautical miles of high-risk areas along the Somali coast and the Red Sea before reaching the safety of the United Arab Emirates.
This voyage marks a significant step towards recovery after the harrowing pirate attack, with the crew looking forward to a safe return to their homeland.
