Second Malaysian International Shipping Corporation Ship Joins Operation in Gulf of Aden

A second ship of the Malaysian International Shipping Corporation (MISC) left the naval base here yesterday to serve as the auxiliary vessel for the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) operating in the Gulf of Aden.

The Bunga Mas 6 (BM6) vessel is joining the mission under ‘Fajar Operation 10/2011′ to escort the country’s merchant ships against the threat of piracy in the Gulf of Aden.

RMN chief, Admiral Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Jaafar said BM6 was the second ship operating as the navy’s auxiliary vessel after the Bunga Mas 5.

The vessel was launched at the Malaysian Marine And Heavy Engineering Sdn Bhd (MMHE) yard in Pasir Gudang, Johor, on Aug 8, 2011.

BM6 is led by commander Ahmad Nazri Sharif as the ship’s commanding officer with the crew members comprising 49 special forces personnel or joint elite force from the Malaysian Armed Forces and the MISC vessel crew members absorbed as the navy’s volunteer reserve force.

“The BM6 vessel will sail towards the operation area in the Gulf of Aden and is expected to arrive on Aug 21 to conduct the operation there for three months,” said Abdul Aziz.

He said BM6 would continue the duties of Bunga Mas 5, in enhancing the capability of looking after the safety of the nation’s merchant ships.

“The presence of the second auxiliary vessel will provide a major impact, particularly in the vital role of eradicating the threat of piracy, to ensure the safety of MISC vessel crew members and cargo worth billions of ringgit,” he said.

Since it was launched on June 1, 2009, Bunga Mas 5 had conducted a series of six Fajar operations and accompanied 172 ships. Altogether, 264 ships were protected under ‘Operation Fajar’.

The Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, who is also RMN’s Honorary Captain-in-charge, yesterday officiated at the departure of BM6 at the Operations Jetty of the RMN base, here.

Also present were Defence Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Malaysian Armed Forces chief General Tan Sri Zulkefili Mohd Zin and Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir

(thesundaily)