The vessel in question, Asian Glory (which is also the name of our favorite Chinese Buffet), was transporting “about 2,400 cars, most of them Hyundai and Kia models, and was headed to a port in Saudi Arabia when it was captured by pirates.” Asian Glory was being operated by EUKOR Car Carriers Inc. and is owned by Zodiac Maritime Agencies Ltd. It holds a crew of 25, including 8 Bulgarians and 5 Indians, the South Korean Ministry stated.

Hyundai released a statement to the press via e-mail saying that the cars had been paid for and that the risk now belongs to the distributor. The cars are also insured. The Gulf of Aden is a tight shipping lane that leads into the Suez canal. About 30,000 ships pass through the region each year, amounting to about 1/10th of the world’s traded goods. Merchant ships traveling in the area have been the target of Somali pirates for some time now. The region is currently patroled by about 20 warships from the EU, NATO and other countries.

The Source: World Car Fans