Somali pirates have released a ship which had been travelling from Dubai to South Africa two months after it was captured.

The Belgian prime minister said today that the vessel, the Pompei, and its European and Filipino crew were now safe.

"The government was informed of the release of the Pompei ship and its crew," Prime Minister Herman Van Rompuy said in a statement. "We were also informed that the entire crew is in good health."

"Our thoughts are with the Belgian, Dutch, Croat and Filipino families of the crew who had to endure difficult moments since April 18," Van Rompuy said.

No detail was given on the circumstances of the ship's release. The crew included a Dutch captain, two Belgians, three Filipinos and four Croats.

The Pompei was hijacked on April 18 around 150km north of the Seychelles.

At the time of its capture the ship, which specialises in the transportation and laying of rocks, was on its way to South Africa from Dubai, where it had taken part in the construction of artifical islands.