MOGADISHU (insidesomalia.org)- Pirates on Friday released a Jordanian-flagged cargo ship seized off the Somali coast where it was held for nearly a week, officials said.

"The ship was released after the pirates held talks with the local elders in Haradere town and it is now sailing to Mogadishu," the ship's contractor Yusuf Moalim Ahmed told AFP.

"I am not ready to give further details on negotiations, but I can confirm that the local elders helped in the release of the ship," he added.

The vessel, MV Victoria, was seized on Saturday and taken to Haradere, a coastal village around 500 kilometres (310 miles) north of the capital Mogadishu.

A Kenyan maritime official said Victoria was released and her crew of mainly Africans and Asians were safe.

"She is now proceeding to Mogadishu port to discharge the cargo," said Andrew Mwangura of the Kenyan branch of the Seafarers' Assistance Programme.

"Two Somali security guards (deputed by cargo consignees) are on board with small arms for safe passage."

The Jordanian government says the hijacked ship belongs to an Emirati company, and that it was carrying 4,200 tonnes of sugar donated by Denmark to war-torn Somalia.

In April, forces from Somalia's breakaway Puntland region rescued a hijacked vessel from the United Arab Emirates. At least one pirate was killed during the raid while seven were arrested and later sentenced to life in prison.

In the same month, pirates seized a French luxury yacht and its crew of 30 and later a Spanish fishing boat. Both were released after a week.

The waters off Somalia, which has not had an effective central government for more than 17 years, are considered to be among the most dangerous in the world for shipping.

More than 25 ships were seized off Somalia last year despite US navy patrols, according to the International Maritime Bureau.