The MV Alaed

The United Kingdom insurance company Standard Club was advised that the Russian ship MV Alaed, which is owned by Femco, a Russian shipping and oceanic oil exploration company, was carrying arms and munitions destined for Syria. It was also possibly carrying Russian attack helicopters. The cargo violated the ship’s insurance policy, so, Standard Club “…informed the ship owner that their insurance cover ceased automatically in view of the nature of the voyage.”

Late Tuesday, the British authorities announced that the ship had turned around and was headed back to Russia, which sort of made fools of all the maritime experts like Mikhail Voytenko of Maritime Bulletin, and James Baker, editor of the maritime newsletter Lloyd’s List. They both claimed that since Syria was under sanctions and Russia doesn’t recognize the EU’s sanctions, the ship would continue to Syria. It seems the Russian ship owner had other ideas, like not getting stuck with the loss if the ship ran aground or hit another ship or whatever.

I am beginning to look at Progressive’s Flo in a whole different light these days.

Related articles

• Report: Russian shipment of attack helicopters for Syria effectively halted – msnbc.com(worldnews.msnbc.msn.com)

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• UK insurer stops cover on Russian ship going to Syria(timesleader.com)

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• Russian ‘arms’ shipment for Syria thwarted(smh.com.au)

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• Russian ship halted after Syria arms claim(dailystar.com.lb)

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