Hijacked Chinese Fishing Vessel Released After “$2M Ransom Payment”

[Deeq A.]

Liaoning and its crew before their release was secured.

Boosaaso (PP News Desk) — A Chinese fishing vessel, Liaoning, with a crew of 18 which that was hijacked off the coast of Puntland State of Somalia in November last year has finally been released today after hijackers received a payment of ransom.

The vessel, owned by Liaoning Daping Fishery Group, had fishing had a fishing licence issued by Puntland State of Somalia. Documents recovered from the trawler indicate that the fishing licence expired in September 2024. Hijackers displayed a photo of the vessel’s insurance policy certificate issued in 2022 and an invalid fishing licence. A 2022 submission to the US Department of Labor by Environmental Justice Foundation corroborates the vessel’s history of fishing in Somali waters.

A certificate of insurance policy issued to Liaoning.

Unconfirmed reports indicate that the hijackers received 20 percent of the initial ransom demand of 10 million dollars.     Puntland Fisheries Ministry has not confirmed the authenticity of the fishing licence issued to Liaoning.

An unverified, invalid fishing licence issued to Liaoning.

More than 30 fishing vessels with licences issued by Puntland State government are believed to be involved in unregulated fishing practices. Puntland Fisheries Ministry has never published data on the fishing licence fees paid by foreign fishing companies. Both the Federal Government of Somalia and Puntland State government issued fishing licences to Chinese companies without an agreement on catch recording guidelines.

© Puntland Post, 2025

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