Relief of hijack ship exporter

The timber exporter responsible for shipping the cargo of the Arctic Sea, which was found by the Russian navy after disappearing for two weeks, has spoken of his relief that the crew are now safe.

“We are very happy that the ship and the crew are safe,” Kari Naumanen, managing director of exporter Rets Timber told TTJ.

Mr Naumanen said the ship’s owner Solchart Management AB had told him the vessel, which was believed to have been hijacked while in Swedish waters, would continue its intended journey to its intended destination – Bejaia in Algeria – but probably with a new crew.

Helsinki-based Rets Timber was shipping the vessel’s cargo of 6,700m³ of sawn redwood joinery timber to Algeria when the ship disappeared on July 29. A massive hunt was conducted and Finnish authorities later reported a ransom demand before the Arctic Sea was found off Cape Verde on August 16.

Eight alleged hijackers were arrested – said to be two Russians, four Estonians and two Latvians.

Mr Naumanen said Rets Timber, which is jointly owned by Stora Enso and UPM, shipped 1 million m³ of timber annually to north Africa and the Middle East, with the Arctic Sea having been contracted on the route for the past three years, loading at the Finnish ports of Valko and Pietarsaari.

“They are very professional people on the vessel and there have never been any problems.”

Timber on board was produced by sawmillers Stora Enso (2,000m³) and UPM (1,000m³), and a number of other privately owned Finnish mills, with the total value thought to be in the region of €1.3m. The timber involved was owned by the Algerian receiving customer.

Mr Naumanen said north Africa was a steady market for timber and less affected by the recent financial crisis.