MV Sun Express is a German-owned container ship registered under the flag of convenience of Antigua and Barbuda. A U.S. Marine Force Reconnaissance team boarded the ship off the coast of Somalia on 9 September 2010, reclaiming control from pirates who had seized the ship and taken the crew hostage.[3][4] At the time it was captured by pirates the ship was traveling from Bilbao, Spain, to Singapore with a cargo of anchor chains.

A UH1N Twin Huey helicopter provides cover as Marines board the MV Magellan Star during a board and seizure.
History
Name
  • Sun Express since 2012
  • Previously Magellan Star, Conmar Cape, Judith Borchard, Gracechurch Star. Built as Pioneer Albatross.
Port of registry Antigua and Barbuda[1]
Laid down5 December 2000[2]
Launched28 March 2002[2]
Completed2002[1]
Identification
NotesClassed by Germanischer Lloyd since 2002.[1]
General characteristics
Class and typeContainer ship[1]
Tonnage
Length133.53 m (438.1 ft)[2]
Beam18.70 m (61.4 ft)[2]
Draught7.223 m (23.70 ft)[2]
Capacity735 TEU[2]
Crew19[2]

The raid

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Just before dawn, the U.S. team from the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit's Maritime Raid Force launched the assault from aboard the USS Dubuque (LPD-8), an amphibious transport ship. It was the first time U.S. military forces off Somalia had staged an action to board a commercial vessel in which pirates were on board with hostages, said a U.S. Navy spokesman.[5]

Grounding

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On 3 November 2012, Conmar Cape ran aground off Subic Bay whilst on a voyage from Manila, Philippines to Hong Kong.[6] She was refloated between 16 and 18 November.[7]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f "Magellan Star (9242572)". Equasis. Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable Development and Energy. Retrieved 12 September 2010.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h "Magellan Star (110075)". Vessel Register for DNV. Germanischer Lloyd. Retrieved 12 September 2010.
  3. ^ "US Marines take back pirate-held ship off Somalia". Archived from the original on 12 September 2010.
  4. ^ U.S. Forces Take Ship From Somali Pirates, New York Times, 9 September 2010
  5. ^ "U.S. forces board pirate-captured vessel, seize control - CNN.com".
  6. ^ Voytenko, Mikhail (9 November 2012). "German boxship Conmar Cape aground off Subic Bay". Fleetmon. Retrieved 14 December 2017.
  7. ^ Voytenko, Mikhail (18 November 2012). "German boxship Conmar Cape taken to Keppel Shipyard for repairs after grounding, Philippine". Fleetmon. Retrieved 14 December 2017.
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  Media related to IMO 9242572 at Wikimedia Commons

13°23′S 49°58′E / 13.383°S 49.967°E / -13.383; 49.967