MV Abdullah's crew allowed to work, easing coal explosion fears

The Bangladeshi ship MV Abdullah, which was hijacked by Somali pirates in the Indian Ocean on 12 March, has seen a positive development.

According to Mizanul Islam, media advisor for the ship's owner Kabir Group, the pirates have allowed the 23 Bangladeshi crewmen to perform routine maintenance work on the vessel.

This comes after initial concerns about the safety of the crew and a potential explosion due to the 55,000 tons of coal onboard. Earlier, the chief officer of the ship, Md Atik Ullah Khan, expressed worry in an audio message about the rising methane concentration and low oxygen levels in the coal hold.

"We are in touch with the crewmen," said Mizanul Islam. "They are all well." He further explained that the initial restrictions on the crew's movement have been eased.

"Many were worried that the temperature of the coal would rise and there would be an explosion," he said. "However, since last Saturday, the pirates have been allowing the crewmen to do routine work on the ship. This has allayed the concerns about the coal temperature."

The International Maritime Solid Bulk Cargoes Code mandates that coal cargo cannot be loaded if its temperature exceeds 55 degrees Celsius due to the risk of self-heating.  Proper ventilation for 24 hours after loading is also required.

"The Bangladeshi crewmen have developed a good relationship with the pirates," said Sakhawat Hossain, general secretary of Bangladesh Merchant Marine Officers' Association. "After the second change of location, the crewmen have been allowed to do routine checks on the ship. Now our crewmen are taking care of everything on the deck and engine room."

According to the association, the ship is now anchored about four miles from the coast of Godobjiraan, Somalia.

The MV Abdullah was en route from Maputo, Mozambique to the United Arab Emirates when it was hijacked. This is the second such attack on a Bangladeshi ship by Somali pirates in the past 14 years.

The previous incident, involving the MV Jahan Mani in 2010, resulted in the crew's release after 100 days in captivity following a ransom payment.