A tanker operated by PVTRANS, the transportation arm of the state-run gas and oil giant PetroVietnam, departed on Monday for a New Year shipping trip, heading toward war-torn Yemen on the southern Arabian Peninsula.
Transporting goods to areas ravaged by conflict is not new to PVT Eagle, which is usually deployed to service piracy-risk zones like the Gulf of Aden and the coasts of Somalia and Oman, according to PVTRANS.
While captain Nguyen Trong Ai is familiar with dangerous assignments, some of his crew members are young and have no first-hand experience of what a war zone is like, he said.
“It is important that anxious and nervous crew members receive adequate support and encouragement,” Ai said.
The captain is upbeat that the entire PVT Eagle crew will accomplish their task successfully.
PVTRANS said all security measures are in place and the crew is well trained to deal with any dangerous incidents that may arise during their journey.
Crew members have practiced their anti-piracy drills, while onboard security is also beefed up.
The ship is in close contact with the relevant authorities in Yemen to ensure they will receive timely support in case of an emergency.