MV Amalthea
| History | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Amalthea |
| Owner: | A.C.A. Shipping Corp. (Greece)[1] |
| Port of registry: | Giurgiulesti, Moldova |
| Builder: | Sanyo shipyard, Japan |
| Completed: | 1985 |
| Identification: | ERJI |
| Status: | Under charter |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | General Cargo: single-decker |
| Tonnage: | 2822 (GT) |
| Length: | 91.6 m |
| Beam: | 15.6 m |
| Draught: | 6.2 m |
| Depth: | 7.45 m |
| Installed power: | |
| Speed: | Approx. 10 knots |
| Capacity: |
|
MV Amalthea (built 1985) is a Moldovan-flagged cargo ship owned by A.C.A. Shipping in Greece.[1]
In 2010, Amalthea was chartered by the Gaddafi International Charity and Development Foundation (GICDF), a Libyan charity organization headed by Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, to deliver humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip. Renamed Hope for the voyage, it left the port of Lavrio, Greece around 8 pm on 10 July 2010 carrying 2,000 tons of food, medical supplies[2] and pre-fabricated houses.[3] Israel requested the United Nations to prevent Libyan sponsored Gaza-bound marine vessel from "violating the existing naval blockade on the Gaza Strip".[4] The ship docked at the port of El Arish, Egypt on 14 July[5] from where the supplies were reportedly to be taken to Gaza by road. The humanitarian aid and supplies were donated by Greek companies and charities.[2] "We got the grapes, so why kill the vineyard guard?" Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, GICDF chairman, explained the agreement of Libya to transfer fifty million US dollars through UNRWA for reconstruction of the Gaza Strip.[6] According to reports the deal was brokered by Martin Schlaff, who is thought to have close ties to leaders in both Israel and Libya.[7]
References
- 1 2 ACA Shipping
- 1 2 World datelines | Deseret News: "Greece: Ship Egypt-bound." 10 July 2010
- ↑ BBC News: "Israel warships monitoring Gaza-bound Libyan aid ship." 14 July 2010
- ↑ Israel requests the UN to prevent Libyan aid ship from violating blockade
- ↑ BBC News: "Libyan ship with Gaza aid arrives in Egyptian port"
- ↑ Gaddafi Jr.: Libya to funnel $50M to Gaza
- ↑ Libyan aid for Gaza -- a success story?