The threat from pirates operating off the coast of Somalia means it is too dangerous for The Volvo Ocean Race yachts to sail all the way on the second leg of the 39,000-nautical-mile race from Cape Town to Abu Dhabi. To keep the teams and boats safe, the boats will be shipped in secrecy through the Indian Ocean to the United Arab Emirates. The ship will have armed guards on board and armour protection.

Organisers have chosen an undisclosed "safe haven port" in the Indian Ocean from where, the boats will be loaded on to a heavy-lift ship and then transported, without the teams to a point off the coast of Sharjah in the northern Emirates where the boats will be offloaded and will sail to Abu Dhabi.

The value of the yachts is estimated at up to $US100 million ($99.16m).

Knut Frostad Chief Executive Volvo Ocean Race "This race has numerous dangers as it travels around the world and piracy is one of them. We've taken the best available advice from intelligence experts and government agencies on ways to minimise the threat and this is the result."

The Volvo Ocean Race is renowned as the world's toughest sailing event finishes in Galway, Ireland, next July. Six teams that started in Alicante, three were forced to retire from leg one because of damage to their boats but all six are on target to start for leg two. Spain's Telefonica leads the race with 31 points followed by Camper with Team New Zealand on 29 and Groupama of France on 22.