MV Liberty Sun (IMO 8500551) was a bulk carrier built in 1986 by Hyundai Heavy Industries in Ulsan, South Korea. The vessel measured 225 meters in length with a beam of 32.26 meters, a gross tonnage of 35,944, and a deadweight tonnage of 63,400 metric tons. It was originally launched under the name Aspen and was renamed Liberty Sun in 1988 after being acquired by Liberty Maritime Corporation of Lake Success, New York.
Construction and Specifications
The ship was constructed as a geared bulk carrier designed for the transport of dry bulk cargoes such as grain, coal, and iron ore. It was powered by a single MAN-B&W 4L80MC low-speed diesel engine delivering 16,110 brake horsepower. The vessel initially operated under United States registry and later changed flag to the Marshall Islands in 2012.
2009 Somali Pirate Attack
The MV Liberty Sun is most notable for surviving an armed assault by Somali pirates on 14 April 2009. The vessel was traveling from Houston, Texas, carrying approximately 47,000 tons of U.S. food aid as part of a humanitarian mission chartered by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) for the United Nations World Food Programme. After unloading approximately 17,000 tons of aid at Port Sudan, the ship was proceeding southward through the Gulf of Aden toward Mombasa, Kenya, with the remaining cargo.
Approximately 280 nautical miles southeast of Mogadishu, pirates in a skiff attacked the vessel with AK-47s and rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs). At least one RPG struck and penetrated the ship's bulkhead, causing minor structural damage and a small fire that was quickly extinguished. The 20-member American crew, lacking firearms, barricaded themselves in the engine room and executed evasive high-speed maneuvers to prevent boarding. The crew issued a distress call, and the U.S. Navy destroyer USS Bainbridge (DDG-96)—which had just completed the rescue of Captain Richard Phillips from the hijacked Maersk Alabama—responded. The Bainbridge arrived approximately six hours after the attack concluded, finding the pirates had already fled. No crew members were injured.
The French frigate Nivôse later captured 11 pirates linked to the attack on 17 April 2009. One of the pirates, Abdi Garad, stated to AFP that the attack was intended as retaliation for the deaths of three pirates during the Maersk Alabama rescue operation.
Aftermath and Fate
Following the attack, the MV Liberty Sun completed its delivery of humanitarian aid to Mombasa, Kenya, under naval escort. The vessel sustained only superficial damage and resumed standard commercial operations. It was sold for scrap and broken up in India on 5 March 2013, after 27 years of service.
