MISCHIEVOUS macaque monkey Sinbad has today ended his sailing days – with his safe arrival on Suffolk’s shores.

The curious creature clambered on board the vessel Skagen Maersk 18 days ago when the ship berthed in Malaysia and was captured and then looked after by crew until their next port of call, the Port of Felixstowe.

Now the cheeky stowaway has been given a new home at the Wales Ape and Monkey Sanctuary.

He will be quarantined for six months before being integrated among the other monkeys.

Grant Miller, assistant director of the UK Border Agency’s Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) team, said: “As a team, we’re used to dealing with smugglers and bringing them to justice.

“It is therefore a rare pleasure to be able to work on an operation where everyone involved has only the animal’s best interests at heart. T”he Maersk crew deserve a huge amount of credit for catching their stowaway and looking after him on the long journey from Malaysia to the UK.”

Brian Godsafe, managing director of Maersk Line UK said: “Despite the size of a container ship, our crews are extremely vigilant and access to the vessel while it is in port is monitored very closely.

“This monkey must have been unusually curious – a busy port is not normally an environment that interests animals.

“Our captain and his crew worked hard to minimise distress to the animal and to ensure all of the authorities were fully informed.”

Vets at the sanctuary said despite his adventures, Sinbad was remarkably stress-free and would make a great friend for the site’s other macaque monkey – a Japanese snow monkey called Julie.