World's Largest Shipping Company Make Detour Avoiding Somali Coast

The world's largest shipping company has announced its oil tankers will make a major detour to avoid the pirate-plagued waters off the Somali coast.

Maersk's decision to reroute its 50-strong fleet via the Cape of Good Hope is likely to cause the embattled global economy further pain, The Times said.

On Thursday, the Saudi owners of the Sirius Star, the supertanker seized by Somali pirates at the weekend, were reportedly negotiating with the hijackers, despite pleas from British and Saudi governments not to pay the ransom.

Chief engineer Peter French, from County Durham, and second officer James Grady, from Strathclyde are among 25 people being held on the ship.

Foreign Secretary David Miliband said payments were "only an encouragement to further hostage-taking".

His Saudi counterpart Prince Saud Al-Faisal said owners Vela International were in talks with the pirates.

"We do not like to negotiate with either terrorists or hijackers."

But he added: "The owners of the tanker are the final arbiters of what happens there."

A foreign news agency reported that the pirates have demanded 25 million dollars (£16.6 million) for the hostages' safe release.

Vela would not confirm this figure and maritime security experts said the true ransom was expected to be much higher.

Author: Jo Amey