Ocean Star International, Inc. Responds to Growing Piracy Issues in Somalia and Surrounding Areas

Coral Springs, FL, August 06, 2011 --(PR.com)-- Ocean Star International, Inc., the worldwide leader in international shipping, is aware of the current piracy situation in Somalia and surrounding areas. OSI has learned that Somali pirates have been the cause of over 100 hijackings in the first quarter of 2011 with ransom payments of more than $5 million. A weak Somali government and law enforcement system is to blame for the ongoing piracy plaguing this area. Officials in surrounding areas have been called upon to band together to bring an end to piracy in the area. Secretary of State Hilary Clinton was quoted as saying, “...generally we think the world must come together to end the scourge of piracy.” On another occasion she said, “Secretary Gates and I are engaged fully in this matter and consider it a serious matter. These people are nothing more than criminals and we are bringing to bear a number of our assets, including Naval and FBI work.”

Numerous shipping companies whose vessels regularly travel through this area of Somalia have even started including armed guards on their vessels to protect personnel as well as cargo. Josh Morales, CEO of Ocean Star International has this to say: “We are fortunate not to have had to deal with the issue of piracy with our vessels. Our hearts go out to all of those in the shipping industry who have lost valuable personnel to these criminals. We are prepared to do anything within our power not only to protect our customer’s valuable cargo but also to ensure the safety of every member of our shipping team should we be faced with issues of piracy in the future.”

These acts of piracy are similar to those off the Horn of Africa in 2009. At that time, Ms. Clinton was quoted as saying: “We may be dealing with a 17th Century crime, but we need to bring 21st Century solutions to bear.” Josh Morales couldn’t agree more. “When people think of the dangers of the shipping industry, generally they consider things such as weather or ship maintenance issues. Piracy by and large hasn’t been a concern...until recently. The world has been caught off guard by this age-old act of terror, and we need to band together and show these criminals that their bullying tactics will not be tolerated.”

With over thirty years of experience, Ocean Star International, Inc. is a leader in the specialty freight forwarding and logistics industry. OSI’s goal is to provide a stress-free experience for customers moving or shipping personal household goods or commercial goods internationally, and handles auto and vehicle shipping, in addition to container shipping, box and package shipping, cargo shipping, freight shipping and express shipping.

OSI is a non-vessel operating common carrier (NVOCC), fully bonded and licensed and accredited by the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) and offers a large array of economical solutions to its customers in need of relocation services. Shipping services include ocean maritime shipping and air transportation to every location in the world, utilizing a network of worldwide agents to coordinate relocations. OSI also offers import/export trading, and their services cover destinations to: Miami, Los Angeles, New York, Baltimore, UK, Puerto Rico, Singapore, China, Thailand, Australia, India, Europe, Germany, France, Mumbai, Chennai, Sydney, Melbourne, Tokyo, Israel, and Hong Kong.

In addition to delivery door to door, door to port, port to port, or port to door, as the customer requires, OSI also offers packing, loading, warehouse, and storage options. Along with their packing services, OSI offers palletizing and shrink wrapping for safety and security of cargo.

For customers shipping cars overseas or requiring classic car shipping, OSI provides vehicle shipping quotes, customs clearance, export declarations, title validation, and marine insurance.

Located at 10880 Wiles Road, Coral Springs, FL, Broward County, near Miami Dade County, Ocean Star International also serves Boca Raton in Palm Beach County, FL. They have consolidation points in the US and around the world
including: Miami, FL, Jacksonville, FL, Los Angeles, CA, New York, NY, Baltimore, MD, Norfolk, VA, Wilmington, NC, Charleston, NC, Savannah, GA, New Orleans, LA, Houston, TX, Corpus Christi, TX, Wilmington, DE, Boston, MA, and Portland, ME.

OSI is a member of IAM (International Association of Movers), AMSA (American Moving and Storage), IATA (International Federation of Freight Forwarders Association), NCBFAA (National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association Of America), NDTA (National Defense Transportation Association), and a certified MBE with the SFMSDC (South Florida Minority Supplier Development Council), a division of the NMSDC (National Minority Supplier Development Council) as well as the Chamber of Commerce.

Visit their website at www.osiInternationalShipping.com.