According to Norwegian company Seatrans AS, which is managing the ship, armed security guards on board the ship managed to avert Friday’s attack in a retaliatory action.

Press spokesperson Tom Atle Pedersen told Bergensavisen the vessel sustained no apparent damager, and, “The crew is fine. No one was hurt in any way. The episode lasted for a relatively short time before it was over.”

The Singapore-registered 20 000 ton chemical tanker ‘Trans Catalonia’ is currently on a voyage from Indonesia to Russia loaded with palm oil.

In addition to the guards, the 20 crew are from Sweden, Poland and Romania.