Nairobi — Two dhows carrying general cargo were feared hijacked by Somali warlords last Saturday, pointing to escalating piracy in Somalia's territorial waters, where five ships were hijacked last month alone.

The two dhows were said to have been captured by Somali gunmen last Saturday afternoon, hours after a luxury cruise liner, MV Seabourn Spirit was attacked by pirates off the war torn country's coast.

The luxury ship with 302 passengers and crew was attacked 100 miles off the Coast of Somalia, forcing its captain to change its destination from Mombasa to Seychelles.

An impeccable source told the Standard that one of the hijacked dhows was sailing from Dubai, destined for Somalia.

The source said the dhow was carrying general cargo from Gulf countries for Somali businessmen in Mogadishu. The other vessel was carrying charcoal from Somalia for the Gulf region.

Reports from Somalia indicated that one of the dhows was captured near Kismayu.The warlords who were said to be in powerful speedboats besieged the dhows and seized them before leading them to an unknown destination, added the source.

Kenya's ambassador to Somalia, Mr Mohamed Affey described the rocketing hijacking of sea vessels as worrying and a blow to world trade.

"The rise in hijacking of ships and other sea vessels is greatly affecting trade in Kenya and many other countries. Cargo transported by sea cannot reach its destination owing to a surge in piracy incidents.

"Global intervention is required to end this crime which not only affects trade but is as well denying half a million Somalis relief food," he said.

Speaking to the Standard on phone yesterday, Affey termed the attack on the Seabourn Spirit, a Bahamas registered cruise ship as "unfortunate".

The Somalia transitional government required help in terms of equipment and infrastructure which could enable it combat piracy in its waters, he said, adding that insecurity in Somalia would affect sea transport between Eastern and Southern Africa, Europe among other continents.

At the same time, Mr Andrew Mwangura, the co-ordinator of Seafarers Assistance Programme, an NGO focusing on shipping, urged the United Nations to impose an embargo on export of charcoal from Somalia.

Mwangura said the export of 60,000 metric tonnes of charcoal from Somalia by warlords to some foreign countries made them obtain cash to buy arms.

He also urged the UN to root out illegal fishing in Somali territorial waters, saying more than 800 vessels fish in Somalia waters illegally and pay about Sh150,000 per vessel to warlords.

Kenya Association of Hotelkeepers and Caterers (KAHC) Coast branch chairman Mr Mohamed Hersi urged the international community to combat piracy in Somalia.

Hersi said piracy in Somalia would adversely affect cruise tourism in Kenya.

"It is sad that the 302 tourists and crew aboard the MV Seabourn Spirit will now not come to Mombasa after the attack," he said.

A Mombasa shipping agent, Mr Karim Kudrati, of Motaku Shipping Agencies said three of his ships, MV Semlow, Mv Miltzow and MV Torgelow were hijacked in Somalia. Two were released, while MV Torgelow is still held in Somalia with nine Kenyan seamen and a Sri Lankan captain.

Piracy in Somalia, he said, had dealt a blow to Kenya and foreign shipping lines as well as trade between many countries.