The crew members of the Chinese cargo ship Zhenhua 4 and guests pose for cameras during a commendation ceremony at Changxing Island Port in Shanghai, east China, on January 23, 2009. Shanghai Zhenhua Port Machinery Co. Ltd held a commendation ceremony here on Friday, and rewarded 30 of its seamen with US$10,000 each for their bravery and courage. Nine pirates armed with rocket launchers and heavy machine guns boarded the ship in the Gulf of Aden on December 17. The crew locked themselves in cabins, using fire hoses and self-made firebombs to keep the attackers at bay for six hours. Foreign warships and helicopters were contacted and helped Chinese seamen beat back the pirates later. No one was injured in the attack. [Xinhua]

Captain Peng Weiyuan (front) and other crew members of the Chinese cargo ship Zhenhua 4 salute to the crowd in a commendation ceremony at Changxing Island Port in Shanghai, east China, on January 23, 2009. [Xinhua]