CMA-CGM subsidiary Compagnie des Iles du Ponant’s Le Ponant has been seized by pirates off the coast of Somalia. The ship was on a repositioning voyage with about 30 crew and no passengers on board. Her next cruise with passengers is scheduled to depart on 22 April from Alexandria.
Press reports indicate that the French government is working to free the ship and her crew. CMA-CGM is the largest French shipping company and the ship flies the French flag and has a mostly French crew. France has considerable naval assets based in this area of the world.
Le Ponant, the smallest of CIP’s three ships, is an 1,189 GT, 64-berth sail-cruise vessel built in 1994. She is often chartered to high-end tour operators.
Click here for the latest from AFP, the leading French news agency.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
You must be logged in to post a comment.