A Chinese cargo ship shook off two pirate boats that were pursuing it in the Gulf of Aden on Friday, said an official with the country's maritime search and rescue center.

The ship, "Chipolbrok Sun" is owned by the Chinese-Polish Joint Stock Shipping Company and registered in Hong Kong. The ship discovered two blue pirate speed-boats chasing after it at 12:40 p.m. in the Gulf's northern region, said Zhai Jiugang, head of the general duty room of the China Maritime Search and Rescue Center.

The captain immediately assembled the crew at the stern to fight off the pirates. Meanwhile, the ship contacted the International Maritime Bureau and two warships -- "Clalition Warship" and "UK MTO" -- in nearby waters.

The Chipolbrok Sun managed to keep the pirate boats on the left side of its stern and shook them off at 1:15 p.m.

(Xinhua News Agency January 3, 2008)