SHIPPING officials from around the world yesterday called for a military blockade along Somalia’s coast to intercept pirate vessels heading out to sea.

SOMALI pirates hijacked a supertanker hundreds of miles off the Horn of Africa, seizing the Saudi-owned ship loaded with crude and its 25-member crew, the US Navy said.

Nato joined a growing international force to protect vessels off Somalia's perilous coast, sending military ships to the treacherous waters where pirates are negotiating the release of an arms-laden tanker.