Suspected Somali pirates have exchanged fire with an armed security team onboard a Leopard Tankers ship in what is believed to be the first incident in the region this year.
Shots were fired from pirates in three skiffs at the 50,000-dwt Leopard Sun (built 2013) last night 165 nautical miles from the Somalian town of Hobyo.
A security team onboard the tanker, owned by the Vitol and Grindrod joint-venture, shot back and the ship is now reported to be safe.
