The kidnapping of oil tanker Saudi Sirius Star will weigh on consumers’ pocket of the West, experts warn. They anticipate that the cargo ships now take a longer route to avoid the action of the Somali pirates on the east coast of Africa and southern Yemen.

The Norwegian group Odfjell, one of the most important shipping firms in the world, announced after the kidnapping of Saudi oil, the suspension of its routes through the Gulf of Aden, preferring to work around Africa. The decision, inform the company, will make the trip between six and 12 days longer, with additional costs still difficult to calculate.

From the Middle East, the ships that go to the United States by the Cape of Good Hope are sailing a distance 30% greater than the path traveled in the Gulf of Aden, informed the Intertanko, an international association of carriers of oil not linked to governments or the oil companies. The organization emphasized that the alternate route also carries waste of time and costs.

According to initial information, the Sirius Star followed exactly that path longer, going to the U.S. via Cape of Good Hope, but it was surprised by Somali pirates on the coast of Kenya, more than 800 kilometers to the southeast of the city of Mombasa.

This year, at least 92 ships were attacked by Somali pirates, of which 33 were kidnapped. At least 12 vessels remain under the control of pirates.

Via: Times.