Monchegorsk (ship)
 |
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| Career (Russia) | Cyprus |
|---|---|
| Name: | Monchegorsk |
| Builder: | Wärtsilä |
| Launched: | 1983 |
| Status: | In service |
| General characteristics | |
| Tonnage: | 18,627 gross tons |
| Length: | 173 m [1] |
| Beam: | 24 m |
| Draught: | 10.52 m |
| Speed: | 13.3 knots[2] |
The Monchegorsk is a Russian owned ship named after the Russian town of Monchegorsk. It is owned operated by the Murmansk Shipping Company.
It was built in Finland in 1983 by Wärtsilä, now a subsidiary of STX Europe. [3]
In early 2009 it became the centre of an international incident involving Iran, Russia, the US, Israel, the Palestinian territories and Cyprus. The ship was apprehended in the Red Sea by U.S. warships in Task Force 151 having left Iran. [4] Following an on board search suspicious military material was reported and the ship was escorted to Limassol Port on 29 January 2009.
The ship, registered with the Cyprus Merchant Marine was then subject to an international diplomacy struggle as to the fate of its cargo. The US and Israel maintained that the cargo was in violation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1747 which sanctions Iranian arms exports.[5] Israel claimed that the intended destination of the cargo was Palestinian organizations in the Gaza strip,[6] a claim that Iran denied. [7]
Cypriot authorities proceeded to a limited search of on board containers, the result of which was referred to the security council for clarification. Once the breach was confirmed the cargo was confiscated and unloaded onto the island where it was stored in warehouses of the Cypriot National Guard. [8][9] The details of the contents from the 98 confiscated containers were not released to the public.
References
- ↑ http://www.digital-seas.com/vessel_search/vessel_details/on/p3nl5_monchegorsk_q210558000_8013039.html
- ↑ http://syros-observer.aegean.gr/ais/shipdetails.aspx?MMSI=210558000
- ↑ http://www.shipphotos.co.uk/yards/wartsila.htm
- ↑ http://www.strategypage.com/htmw/htproc/articles/20090205.aspx
- ↑ "Cyprus Seizes Iranian Arms Shipmen". February 19, 2009. http://www.strategypage.com/htmw/htproc/articles/20090219.aspx. Retrieved 2009-02-19.
- ↑ http://www.cyprus-mail.com/news/main.php?id=44008&archive=1
- ↑ http://www.tehrantimes.com/index_View.asp?code=189162
- ↑ "Cyprus unloads 'Gaza arms' ship". BBC News. 2009-02-13. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/7889371.stm. Retrieved 2010-05-13.
- ↑ http://www.cyprus-mail.com/news/main.php?id=44034&cat_id=1
