An Ethiopian-flagged vessel fought off a pirate attack in the Gulf of Aden earlier this week, the multi-national anti-piracy task force said Thursday.

The MV Andinet, part of the Ethiopian Shipping Line, was approached by two pirate skiffs Monday, with one of them coming close enough to fire automatic weapons in an attempt to force the ship to stop, the task force said in a statement.

But the vessel's crew used anti-piracy measures -- including firing flares in the air and utilizing fire hoses, as well as "evasive maneuvering" -- to repel the pirates,:lol::lol: Combined Maritime Forces said.

After a distress call was sent out, the USS Farragut, a U.S. Navy destroyer assigned to the task force, deployed her SH-80 helicopter to follow the skiffs, and the USS Porter gave chase as well, the task force said.

"A boarding team from the USS Farragut subsequently stopped and boarded the pirate skiffs, but only an empty magazine and used rounds were found on board."

"The MV Andinet once against demonstrated that even basic preventive measures can save a crew from a successful pirate attack," said Commodore Tim Lowe of Britain's Royal Navy, deputy commander of the Combined Maritime Forces.

"Although there is a significant international naval presence in the Gulf of Aden, these warships cannot be everywhere and may not always be close at hand to prevent an attack."

The incident occurred about 145 miles east of Aden, Yemen.

The task force advocates that commercial and civilian vessels in the region implement anti-piracy measures such as maintaining a 24-hour lookout, traveling in convoys and using high-intensity lighting.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/africa/02/04/indian.ocean.pirate.attack/index.html?section=cnn_latest

But the vessel's crew used anti-piracy measures -- including firing flares in the air and utilizing fire hoses, as well as "evasive maneuvering" -- to repel the pirates,:lol::lol:

Who knew Chuck Norris was an habesha :lol:


Anyway, on a serious note, I think the fact that they are Ethiopians would have been a horrible handicap if the pirates were successful. I think they would have been the first hijacked crew to have been killed.

Who knew Chuck Norris was an habesha :lol:


Anyway, on a serious note, I think the fact that they are Ethiopians would have been a horrible handicap if the pirates were successful. I think they would have been the first hijacked crew to have been killed.
interesting, your probably right..but lets hope they would have been more sympathetic to people of the region. Afterall, they tend to blame Westerners or other foreigners for illegal fishing and dumping waste in their waters. But then again, the whole Somali-Ethio history has been somewhat turbulent.

Good to see that the crew evaded them though, looks like the E. Shipping Lines sailors are pretty skilled.

We have ships?

We have ships?

Simfan,
How ironic....Ethiopian Shiping Line is smilar to Ethiopian Airlines - Well organized and very profitable. Ethiopia is the only country with its own Flag-Ships. No other country in the East Africa (including Kenya) has a single flag ship.

We Need Our Port Back!! It just so bizarre & so unfortunate that we are located in a mad Neighbourhood. I give a lot of credit to Melese Zenawi and his government - thankful for their achievements. However, their attitude regarding a sea outlet really makes me sick. How can one let go a well known un-demarkated border for free?? :ohno::ohno:

Name: M/V Abbay Wonz
http://www.ethiopianshippinglines.com.et/Image/Abay%20wonz.JPG

Name: M/V Abyot
http://www.ethiopianshippinglines.com.et/Image/Abyot.jpg

Name: M/V Admas
http://www.ethiopianshippinglines.com.et/Image/Adm.jpg

Name:M/V Andinet
http://www.ethiopianshippinglines.com.et/Image/AndinetAfterDD.jpg

Name: M/V Netsanet
http://www.ethiopianshippinglines.com.et/Image/Netsanet.jpg

Name: M/V Omo Wonz
http://www.ethiopianshippinglines.com.et/Image/Omo%20wonz.jpg

Name: M/V Shebelle
http://www.ethiopianshippinglines.com.et/Image/Shebelle.jpg

Name: M/V Gibe
http://www.ethiopianshippinglines.com.et/Image/Gibbe.jpg

Name: M/V Tekeze
http://www.ethiopianshippinglines.com.et/Image/TEKEZE.JPG

They've also ordered several more vessels.

I find it strange that during talks between Ethiopia and Eritea that the Ethiopian government did not ask for a narrow corridor to the sea. It would have probably been next to the border with Djibouti. Afterall, being landlock is no fun since they say it add cost to products being imported or exported.

http://www.eepa.be/wcm/images/djibouti.png


Can barges be used in certain areas of the Blue Nile in Ethiopia.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/24/Blue_nile_map.png/300px-Blue_nile_map.png


They do say in millions of years that the eastern part of Ehiopia will have access to the Sea but that is too long to wait.

I find it strange that during talks between Ethiopia and Eritea that the Ethiopian government did not ask for a narrow corridor to the sea. It would have probably been next to the border with Djibouti. Afterall, being landlock is no fun since they say it add cost to products being imported or exported.

http://www.eepa.be/wcm/images/djibouti.png


Can barges be used in certain areas of the Blue Nile in Ethiopia.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/24/Blue_nile_map.png/300px-Blue_nile_map.png


They do say in millions of years that the eastern part of Ehiopia will have access to the Sea but that is too long to wait.

we r as puzzled as you are why not the ethiopian government try to get the assab port during the eritrean referendum, remolino. but that is the past we have to think about the future .using the djibouti port cost us every year more than a billion dollar.with the speed our economy grow it might not handle our export and import in the near future. so we have to have some backup plan. about the using the blue nile for transportation our geography doesn't allow that. when the blue nile leave tana lake ,its source its at 1800 meter above sea level and when it leaves ethiopia at the sudan border its about 540 meter .so in ethiopia only the blue nile descends 1260 meter because of this we can't use the blue nile for ship navigation. probably in the future god willing when we build about six dams we might create a lock system like in panama canal and have ships going from ethiopia to all the way to the meditrenean sea.

Can barges be used in certain areas of the Blue Nile in Ethiopia.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/24/Blue_nile_map.png/300px-Blue_nile_map.png

They do say in millions of years that the eastern part of Ehiopia will have access to the Sea but that is too long to wait.

Lake Abe (See the map below - right at Ethiopia and Djibouti border) is a better option. Build a canal to connect the lake and the sea - our own Panama Canal:)! Rent a 60Km long and 0.5Km wide land from Djibouti with + Qat/Chat to top it up!:)

Seriously, what we need is a port just to dock the ships.
Look the Congo - their port / a sea corridor was secured with a "Take & Give" agreement - Sad to see EPRDF failed to consider such an option after belting Shabia in the war.

http://www.wildfrontiers.co.uk/wildfrontiers/images/WEB_Red_Sea_Explorer.jpg

Panama_Canal
http://photos.igougo.com/images/p366072-Panama_Canal-Panama_Canal.jpg

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/maps/africa/democratic-republic-of-congo/map_of_democratic-republic-of-congo.jpg

we r as puzzled as you are why not the ethiopian government try to get the assab port during the eritrean referendum, remolino.

My Dear Abnet,
I hate war...But!
When a country with 80 Mil souls with a 10% anual economic growth pinned down and locked out by pirates and a life time dictator (Isayas Afeworki since 1960), the only option & solution you have is WAR - a just war to free yourself & protect your God given right!

A war to get back Assab Port is a just War!

Pirates & a Bully roaming a sea...where is justice??

My Dear Abnet,
I hate war...But!
When a country with 80 Mil souls with a 10% anual economic growth pinned down and locked out by pirates and a life time dictator (Isayas Afeworki since 1960), the only option & solution you have is WAR - a just war to free yourself & protect your God given right!

A war to get back Assab Port is a just War!

Pirates & a Bully roaming a sea...where is justice??

thank u ahadu for elaborating what i was tying to explain with maps and pictures above. about the war thing this is the option we always has and i think it makes foreign investors nervous to invest in ethiopia .what we have to do in my opinion is search all options other than war to get a port .let me give you one ,we know we have the dalol deppresion which is in its deepest place its 120 meter under sea level ,and according to scientists its has been flooded every time the global warming happen in the past ,the last being 10000 years ago .so my proposal is create some kind of agreement with eritrea and dig from mersa fatuma on the red sea coast to the dalol region and bring the red sea to dalol and build ports around it .it gives us the chance to develop the afar region too.

Anyway, on a serious note, I think the fact that they are Ethiopians would have been a horrible handicap if the pirates were successful. I think they would have been the first hijacked crew to have been killed.

I doubt it. The pirates aren't political, they are there just to make money. You kill your hostages, you won't be getting any ransom money.

Where do Ethiopia's ships call, btw. Djibouti?

thank u ahadu for elaborating what i was tying to explain with maps and pictures above. about the war thing this is the option we always has and i think it makes foreign investors nervous to invest in ethiopia .what we have to do in my opinion is search all options other than war to get a port .let me give you one ,we know we have the dalol deppresion which is in its deepest place its 120 meter under sea level ,and according to scientists its has been flooded every time the global warming happen in the past ,the last being 10000 years ago .so my proposal is create some kind of agreement with eritrea and dig from mersa fatuma on the red sea coast to the dalol region and bring the red sea to dalol and build ports around it .it gives us the chance to develop the afar region too.

I would think when it comes to Djibouti that they would not want make a deal with Ethiopia since it would cut into there current monopoly. Eritea the same if Ethiopia currently uses there ports.

Ethiopia might negotiate with Somaliland or Sudan for an outlet to the sea. If not then Ethiopia should become the Rail center of Africa. All rails should head to your Capital. The good thing about that is that there will be more outlets via other nations thus Ethiopia would not be dependent so much on a few nations. This would also create competition between nations that would want Ethiopias business. It would also make sense security wise.

Found out they are to build a railroad from Ethiopia to Kenya which would connect Ethiopia to the Indian Ocean. A rail connection to Uganda and Sudan would also make sense. From there the line could connect to Democratic Congo Rail lines and to the Atlantic Ocean.

Looking at the following large map a straight railroad via Southern Sudan, Central African Republic to Cameroon would also be good. The Central African Republic seems not to have a Railroad while Cameroon does. A railway from Ethiopia to Cameroon could probably help the Central African Republic economically speaking. The railroad from Ethiopia would continue on to Djibouti and or Somaliland. If Southern Sudan gains independence like some are saying they would be landlocked like Ethiopia and the Central African Republic so this railroad would make sense.

Chances are if this is ever created that it should be under a private or public authority run by or have representatives of all the nations involved. This authority should have complete control over running the railroad from one end to the other thus it would be more efficient.

It could be named the SSSR (Sea to Shining Sea Railroad) :lol:

Large Map: -
http://www1.american.edu/ted/ice/images4/central_africa_pol_97.jpg

Map of train service in Southern Africa:
http://www.seat61.com/images/Africa-map.jpg

EDIT: I just found this. Seems they already had this idea to run a railroad from Sudan to Cameroon via Central African Republic. It would be called the TransAfricaRail. So we just need to add Ethiopia to that plan.

Do some of you think the Chinese will build it since I found out there is Iron in the Central African Republic.

Read http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TransAfricaRai

Found more information
"It will take only 48 hours to transport goods between the Red Sea and the Atlantic Ocean using a double-stack container carrying express train at an average speed of 150 km/h

Read: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TransAfricaRail#Djibouti-Sudan-CAR-Cameroon

I thought the Ogaden conflict had been settled. Afterall, you never hear about it.

Found some information http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Somali_Region

Has there been a referendum in that area. Is this the only area in Ethiopia that wants to breakaway. Would make sure if Ethiopia decides to let them loose that they make sure they keep a corridor to Somaliland.


Has for Somaliland, I think there President and government cares little about what they say in Somalia. Seems the UK. might recognize them in the future.

Read this: http://www.unpo.org/content/view/10622/142/

Edit: Just letting all know that the post above me was deleted by mods it seems. So it now seems I double posted.

mods would you remove the comment by this loser ^^ and ban this woman i am sure this one is the same marwa .i am tired of seeing this loser eritreans and somalis coming here and trying to get some attentions :bash:

I would think when it comes to Djibouti that they would not want make a deal with Ethiopia since it would cut into there current monopoly. Eritea the same if Ethiopia currently uses there ports.

Ethiopia might negotiate with Somaliland or Sudan for an outlet to the sea. If not then Ethiopia should become the Rail center of Africa. All rails should head to your Capital. The good thing about that is that there will be more outlets via other nations thus Ethiopia would not be dependent so much on a few nations. This would also create competition between nations that would want Ethiopias business. It would also make sense security wise.

Found out they are to build a railroad from Ethiopia to Kenya which would connect Ethiopia to the Indian Ocean. A rail connection to Uganda and Sudan would also make sense. From there the line could connect to Democratic Congo Rail lines and to the Atlantic Ocean.

Looking at the following large map a straight railroad via Southern Sudan, Central African Republic to Cameroon would also be good. The Central African Republic seems not to have a Railroad while Cameroon does. A railway from Ethiopia to Cameroon could probably help the Central African Republic economically speaking. The railroad from Ethiopia would continue on to Djibouti and or Somaliland. If Southern Sudan gains independence like some are saying they would be landlocked like Ethiopia and the Central African Republic so this railroad would make sense.

Chances are if this is ever created that it should be under a private or public authority run by or have representatives of all the nations involved. This authority should have complete control over running the railroad from one end to the other thus it would be more efficient.

It could be named the SSSR (Sea to Shining Sea Railroad) :lol:

Large Map: -
http://www1.american.edu/ted/ice/images4/central_africa_pol_97.jpg

Map of train service in Southern Africa:
http://www.seat61.com/images/Africa-map.jpg

EDIT: I just found this. Seems they already had this idea to run a railroad from Sudan to Cameroon via Central African Republic. It would be called the TransAfricaRail. So we just need to add Ethiopia to that plan.

Do some of you think the Chinese will build it since I found out there is Iron in the Central African Republic.

Read http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TransAfricaRai

Found more information


Read: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TransAfricaRail#Djibouti-Sudan-CAR-Cameroon

thank you remolino again ur interest in our beloved country ethiopia .you raise interesting issues especially making ethiopia the train connection hub of africa.the city i live in right now in the usa atlanta established because it was the big train intersection of the south-east train system. actually it used to be called terminus bacause of that. but having a train which has a speed of 150k.m./h is (which is about 80mile/h.) is over ambitious and impractical in mostly a rural countries mentioned above .but regardless the speed i am sure we will build a train system which start from addis go thru gambella then south sudan crossing north drc (because ethiopia need a lot of logs in the future when our economy booms and drc has that in abundance ) pass thru banjul (the capital city of central african republic its at the border of drc so we don't have to go longer inside CAR ) then either thru cameroun or drc we can reach the the atlantic ocean .

thank you remolino again ur interest in our beloved country ethiopia .you raise interesting issues especially making ethiopia the train connection hub of africa.the city i live in right now in the usa atlanta established because it was the big train intersection of the south-east train system. actually it used to be called terminus bacause of that. but having a train which has a speed of 150k.m./h is (which is about 80mile/h.) is over ambitious and impractical in mostly a rural countries mentioned above .but regardless the speed i am sure we will build a train system which start from addis go thru gambella then south sudan crossing north drc (because ethiopia need a lot of logs in the future when our economy booms and drc has that in abundance ) pass thru banjul (the capital city of central african republic its at the border of drc so we don't have to go longer inside CAR ) then either thru cameroun or drc we can reach the the atlantic ocean .

This is probably a 15-25 year plan, if they are planning it that is. At this very moment the only hint of a rail system I have heard of is the one from Ethiopia to lamu port in Kenya, which will also be used by south sudan. The Lamu port idea is more economical compared to a train to the atlantic, because most of the trade so far seems to be with Asian, Europe and the middle east.
Oh, and BTW I have reported the above person to the mods but it will probably take them a day or two to remove the person.

They do say in millions of years that the eastern part of Ehiopia will have access to the Sea but that is too long to wait.

yes may be a little too long :hilarious

I find it strange that during talks between Ethiopia and Eritea that the Ethiopian government did not ask for a narrow corridor to the sea. It would have probably been next to the border with Djibouti. .

I am sure ethiopian are kicking themselves about that even now.

mods would you remove the comment by this loser ^^ and ban this woman i am sure this one is the same marwa .i am tired of seeing this loser eritreans and somalis coming here and trying to get some attentions :bash:

Eh You must be Handicapped. I suggest you go and find out our IP Address before accusing me of something and your the looser here having nightmares of eriterians and Somali's. :bash:

we r as puzzled as you are why not the ethiopian government try to get the assab port during the eritrean referendum, remolino. but that is the past we have to think about the future .using the djibouti port cost us every year more than a billion dollar.with the speed our economy grow it might not handle our export and import in the near future. so we have to have some backup plan. about the using the blue nile for transportation our geography doesn't allow that. when the blue nile leave tana lake ,its source its at 1800 meter above sea level and when it leaves ethiopia at the sudan border its about 540 meter .so in ethiopia only the blue nile descends 1260 meter because of this we can't use the blue nile for ship navigation. probably in the future god willing when we build about six dams we might create a lock system like in panama canal and have ships going from ethiopia to all the way to the meditrenean sea.

instead of the complex process of damning the blue nile why not just use the Sudanese Road system to get products to and from Port Sudan:|

This is probably a 15-25 year plan, if they are planning it that is. At this very moment the only hint of a rail system I have heard of is the one from Ethiopia to lamu port in Kenya, which will also be used by south sudan. The Lamu port idea is more economical compared to a train to the atlantic, because most of the trade so far seems to be with Asian, Europe and the middle east.
Oh, and BTW I have reported the above person to the mods but it will probably take them a day or two to remove the person.

hi enkelfam! no its not a plan just me and remolino are planning the possible way to get to the atlantic ocean .and about the trade thing i think our trade with europe can go thru the atlantic ocean because every time you go thru the swiss canal u pay about 125,000 u.s. dollar. so i think if we build the train system it will be much cheaper . and thank you about ur report about that loser if we were away from these losers we could have been one of the richest country in africa. ethiopia not suppose to be a poor country .

instead of the complex process of damning the blue nile why not just use the Sudanese Road system to get products to and from Port Sudan:|
hi kitayabi! that plan is just the answer i gave to remolino about how possibly we can use the blue nile for navigation. and indeed its much easier and cheaper to use the road system to port sudan .actually they are building concret asphalt road from gondar to humera (which is the northern border city between ethiopia and sudan) so that we can use the port sudan more frequently . i think even now ethiopia is using the port sudan .

hi kitayabi! that plan is just the answer i gave to remolino about how possibly we can use the blue nile for navigation. and indeed its much easier and cheaper to use the road system to port sudan .actually they are building concret asphalt road from gondar to humera (which is the northern border city between ethiopia and sudan) so that we can use the port sudan more frequently . i think even now ethiopia is using the port sudan .

yes currently there is one road linking Sudan and ethiopia thats between gallabat and metema. However there are another two roads planned one through
kurmuk further south and one further north at humera. The humera one will likely become Ethiopia's primary access to Sudanese ports. I imagine that as the infrastructure is improved at Sudan's Southern port of Suakin, it will become more popular with Ethiopian shipping companies as its closer then Port Sudan.

Who knew Chuck Norris was an habesha :lol:


Anyway, on a serious note, I think the fact that they are Ethiopians would have been a horrible handicap if the pirates were successful. I think they would have been the first hijacked crew to have been killed.

Why do you say that?