UPDATE January 13, 2011:
From The Southern Ocean at position 60 degrees 47 minutes South latitude, 178 degrees 58 minutes West longitude comes some more news. Continuing to observe the MT Sun Laurel the SSCS vessel Gojira contacted her Master regarding refuelling south of 60 degrees South latitude. Her Master confirmed that he was aware of that maritime law and was heading northwards to the 60 degree latitude line some 47 minutes of latitude away. There they can do an at sea refuelling transfer without interference certainly from the self-appointed guardians of SSCS.
NAUTICAL LOG finds it interesting that the SSCS is so concerned since we received a report that the MS Steve Irwin had resupplied the MS Gojira well south of the 60 degree latitude line. In fact they published a photograph which was reproduced by NAUTICAL LOG in a previous post. This particular Press Release with photos seems to have been removed from Sea Shepherd News - wonder why?
Rules apply to all both nautical thugs and harpoon hooligans!! No doubt 'Wats-his-name' will have an explanation ready. Maybe our fleet contact, a much more reasonable person, will be kind enough to e-mail NAUTICAL LOG explaining things so we can continue to publish in a fair and balanced manner.
Good Watch.
From The Southern Ocean comes news of a request which is more a cry for help. The SSCS has asked the Greenpeace Foundation (GF) to help them out in preventing whaling this season. It is reported that the GF has a vessel available in Taiwan. If the GF should respond the anti-whaling group would have four vessels and a much improved coverage of the JWF vessels activities. The relationship between SSCS and GF is not good and it is doubtful that any GF vessel would work with the SSCS. It appears that the true motive behind this request is an attempt to embarrass the Greenpeace Foundation. Though last summer in the Mediterranean the Greenpeace was present with the SSCS in 'L'Affair Blue Tuna' but backed off when the SSCS got violent and started ramming tuna cages.
On another issue entirely but still helping, the JWF needs supplies mainly fuel to top the tanks of the MS Nisshin Maru. She in turn can refuel the three catcher ships. A tanker that has been chartered, loaded and dispatched from Japan has now arrived in The Southern Ocean. She is the MT Sun Laurel Panama Flag State, IMO #9405631 and is reported at position 62 degrees 43 minutes South latitude and 178 degrees 33 minutes West longitude. In accordance with maritime law she is not allowed to proceed south of 60 degrees South Latitude to fuel any vessel. This means that a rendezvous point must be established to refuel the factory ship MS Nisshin Maru which does not violate International Maritime Law.
As usual 'Wats-his-name' uses dramatic language to describe the meeting up with this vessel as "interception" and "cuts off supplies" when in fact SSCS is only steaming along observing the MT Sun Laurel from the SSCS vessel Gojira. As long as any at sea transfer refuelling takes place north of 60 degrees South latitude nobody, least of all 'Wats-his-name', as anything to complain about. Should the SSCS Pirate Group interfere with these transfer operations they would risk an extreme maritime disaster in a highly sensitive region. It is very doubtful therefore if the Pirate Group can actually risk taking any action to prevent the at sea refuelling transfer operation.
This is one of the reasons NAUTICAL LOG had hoped the Government of New Zealand would detach at least one unit of the Royal New Zealand Navy to patrol and monitor activities in the region. Now there is risk of some ill advised action with a huge environmental impact - truly a cry for help.
Good Watch.
On another issue entirely but still helping, the JWF needs supplies mainly fuel to top the tanks of the MS Nisshin Maru. She in turn can refuel the three catcher ships. A tanker that has been chartered, loaded and dispatched from Japan has now arrived in The Southern Ocean. She is the MT Sun Laurel Panama Flag State, IMO #9405631 and is reported at position 62 degrees 43 minutes South latitude and 178 degrees 33 minutes West longitude. In accordance with maritime law she is not allowed to proceed south of 60 degrees South Latitude to fuel any vessel. This means that a rendezvous point must be established to refuel the factory ship MS Nisshin Maru which does not violate International Maritime Law.
As usual 'Wats-his-name' uses dramatic language to describe the meeting up with this vessel as "interception" and "cuts off supplies" when in fact SSCS is only steaming along observing the MT Sun Laurel from the SSCS vessel Gojira. As long as any at sea transfer refuelling takes place north of 60 degrees South latitude nobody, least of all 'Wats-his-name', as anything to complain about. Should the SSCS Pirate Group interfere with these transfer operations they would risk an extreme maritime disaster in a highly sensitive region. It is very doubtful therefore if the Pirate Group can actually risk taking any action to prevent the at sea refuelling transfer operation.
This is one of the reasons NAUTICAL LOG had hoped the Government of New Zealand would detach at least one unit of the Royal New Zealand Navy to patrol and monitor activities in the region. Now there is risk of some ill advised action with a huge environmental impact - truly a cry for help.
Good Watch.
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