VOA标准英语2010年-Record Ransom Frees Hijacked Tanker of

"Later we came to learn that they paid about $7 million, which was dropped on the ship, and $2 million was taken a separate way." - Andrew Mwangura, East Africa Seafarers Assistance Program

A record ransom¹ payment has secured the release of a massive oil tanker² seized in November by Somali pirates.  Piracy³ attacks off the coast of Somalia nearly doubled in 2009 from the previous year.

The Maran Centaurus was the second-largest vessel⁴ ever captured and was carrying an estimated $2 million barrels of oil.

The pirates claim they received $5.5 million for the ship's freedom, but a separate figure places the amount dropped on the ship at $7 million.  Both are believed to exceed any previous figure paid to the Somali sea bandits.

Andrew Mwangura of the Kenya-based East Africa Seafarers Assistance Program says others involved in securing the deal also reportedly took home a significant sum.

Andrew Mwangura, head of the East African Seafarers' Assistance Program, speaking to reporters in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi (File)

"Later we came to learn that they paid about $7 million, which was dropped on the ship, and $2 million was taken a separate way.  I think that $2 million went maybe to the translators and others," he said.

The Greek-flagged vessel had onboard 28 mostly Filipino and Greek crew members who are reported to be safe and in good condition as the ship is escorted to safe harbor.

The record haul has stoked divisions within the competing piracy gangs in the northern Somali area.  Armed helicopters reportedly had to fend⁵ off surrounding speed boats who were attempting to take control of the ship prior to the drop-off.

The situation is reportedly tense onshore where the pirates are still haggling⁶ over the demanded cuts on the payment.  Regional watchdog group Ecoterra International says a couple pirates were killed in a gun battle as the cash was being brought ashore⁷.

The number of sea attacks globally are on the rise, driven by the growing audacity⁸ and capacity of the Somali piracy business, which accounts for more than half of all pirate activity worldwide.

Poverty, lawlessness, and local grievances⁹ over exploited fishing waters fueled the rise of the now-lucrative domestic industry, the massive rewards of which are reported to be causing whirlwinds within Somalia's strong clan-based traditional culture.

The Horn of Africa nation has been without a functioning central government for nearly 20 years. 

The freed ship was only slightly smaller than the Sirius Star, which was hijacked¹⁰ in November 2008.  That vessel was released two months later after a reported ransom of $3 million.

The sums demanded by the bandits have sharply risen as each negotiated settlement creates a new precedent¹¹ for payment.

The cargo¹² aboard the Maran Centaurus is worth an estimated $150 million.

1 ransom   

n.赎金，赎身；v.赎回，解救

参考例句：

• We'd better arrange the ransom right away.我们最好马上把索取赎金的事安排好。
• The kidnappers exacted a ransom of 10000 from the family.绑架者向这家人家勒索10000英镑的赎金。

2 tanker   

n.油轮

参考例句：

• The tanker took on 200,000 barrels of crude oil.油轮装载了二十万桶原油。
• Heavy seas had pounded the tanker into three parts.汹涌的巨浪把油轮撞成三载。

3 piracy   

n.海盗行为，剽窃，著作权侵害

参考例句：

• The government has already adopted effective measures against piracy.政府已采取有效措施惩治盗版行为。
• They made the place a notorious centre of piracy.他们把这地方变成了臭名昭著的海盗中心。

4 vessel   

n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管

参考例句：

• The vessel is fully loaded with cargo for Shanghai.这艘船满载货物驶往上海。
• You should put the water into a vessel.你应该把水装入容器中。

5 fend   

v.照料（自己），（自己）谋生，挡开，避开

参考例句：

• I've had to fend for myself since I was 14.我从十四岁时起就不得不照料自己。
• He raised his arm up to fend branches from his eyes.他举手将树枝从他眼前挡开。

6 haggling   

v.讨价还价( haggle的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• I left him in the market haggling over the price of a shirt. 我扔下他自己在市场上就一件衬衫讨价还价。
• Some were haggling loudly with traders as they hawked their wares. 有些人正在大声同兜售货物的商贩讲价钱。 来自辞典例句

7 ashore   

adv.在(向)岸上，上岸

参考例句：

• The children got ashore before the tide came in.涨潮前，孩子们就上岸了。
• He laid hold of the rope and pulled the boat ashore.他抓住绳子拉船靠岸。

8 audacity   

n.大胆，卤莽，无礼

参考例句：

• He had the audacity to ask for an increase in salary.他竟然厚着脸皮要求增加薪水。
• He had the audacity to pick pockets in broad daylight.他竟敢在光天化日之下掏包。

9 grievances   

n.委屈( grievance的名词复数 )；苦衷；不满；牢骚

参考例句：

• The trade union leader spoke about the grievances of the workers. 工会领袖述说工人们的苦情。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• He gave air to his grievances. 他申诉了他的冤情。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 hijacked   

劫持( hijack的过去式和过去分词 )； 绑架； 拦路抢劫； 操纵（会议等，以推销自己的意图）

参考例句：

• The plane was hijacked by two armed men on a flight from London to Rome. 飞机在从伦敦飞往罗马途中遭到两名持械男子劫持。
• The plane was hijacked soon after it took off. 那架飞机起飞后不久被劫持了。

11 precedent   

n.先例，前例；惯例；adj.在前的，在先的

参考例句：

• Is there a precedent for what you want me to do?你要我做的事有前例可援吗？
• This is a wonderful achievement without precedent in Chinese history.这是中国历史上亘古未有的奇绩。

12 cargo   

n.(一只船或一架飞机运载的)货物

参考例句：

• The ship has a cargo of about 200 ton.这条船大约有200吨的货物。
• A lot of people discharged the cargo from a ship.许多人从船上卸下货物。