Berlin  - The German-owned grain ship Patriot has been released by Somali pirates after some three weeks' captivity in the Gulf of Aden, the German government said Tuesday evening.

"We can confirm that the ship is free," a Foreign Ministry spokesman said, while declining to go into any specifics about whether a ransom was paid or any other details of the ship's release.

Reports in Berlin said the 31,000-ton ship, which was seized in late April some 300 kilometres south-east of the Yemeni coastal city of Mukalla, was freed last Friday.

While the Patriot, which had no German crew members on board, is now free, a further German vessel, the Hansa Stavanger container ship, remains held by pirates. Five German crew members are on board that ship. (dpa)