Peter, thanks for saving that article on wikispooks.
The ship in question seems to be in Canada now:
Arctic Sea going to Canada
Tuesday, May 04, 2010
More articles in Accidents
Canadian carrier adds mystery ship
Short sea shipping operator Great Lakes Feeder Lines, which operates between Halifax, Montreal, Lake Ontario and other ports carrying both containers, breakbulk and heavy lift cargo, has added a second ship to its fleet, the Arctic Sea.
Like the carrier's existing ship, Dutch Runner, the Arctic Sea will be used to move cargo in the Great Lakes and along the East Coast of Canada and the United States. The company took delivery of the ship last week in Malta and it is carrying a load of cargo from Greece to Quebec as it repositions.
The ship achieved notoriety last year when it was reportedly hijacked in the Baltic Sea off the coast of Sweden while on a routine voyage carrying timber from Finland to Algeria.
After authorities lost contact with the ship, it was found several weeks later in the Cape Verde Islands off the West Coast of Africa.
At the time there was widespread speculation that the ship might be carrying arms or other dangerous cargo.
Russian authorities said the ship was hijacked by thugs who beat the crew, but many observers were never satisfied with the explanation. A January article in the Financial Times called it one of the mysteries of the past decade.
American Shipper
Comments: I know that Solchart is selling it’s fleet – I know for sure about selling at least 2 vessels, one with heavy debt. Maybe Solchart plans to cover debt with Arctic Sea sale. Company Solchart is not the first and won’t be the last to bust in a very dangerous business of transporting some dubious goods to dubious countries in clandestine operations, covered by innocent-looking cargoes. There was and is constant timber cargo flow from North Europe to North Africa, everybody was happy except those who didn’t like all that, and they put an end to undercover logistics by a unique operation of vessel’s highjack. Main players still unknown, all mishaps left with carrier. Don’t play with devil – it’s a no-win game. Still, new persons and new companies eager to get big easy bucks go in for such transportations, and got busted, killed, convicted – you name it.
Mikhail Voytenko
Source:
http://www.odin.tc/eng/articles/298-Arct...Canada.asp