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THEY'RE BAAACK


Steaming gallantly into Hobart, TAS this morning, as can be seen in the photo, are two of the SSCS Group vessels, MS Steve Irwin and MS Bob Barker. Alongside the starboard side of the MS Bob Barker is the Hobart Pilot cutter boarding the Pilot to guide them into assigned berths. As usual on arrival of SSCS vessels the crews were retained on board while the Australian Federal Police (AFP) boarded and conducted an Examination of both vessels logbooks, records and personnel. Since this Examination is ongoing there has been no information release by the AFP as of yet. Of course no arrival can go on without a 'Presser' (ghastly word) which NAUTICAL LOG understands is the latest media expression adding to the destruction of the English language. An Australian Greens Party person and the SSCS will have a news conference at 1100 AEST - no doubt this will rehash the same SSCS line once-over again. Operation No Compromise is now officially over - whatever that means!

Missing from all this excitement is the Australian Flag State vessel MS Gojira. She is thousands of nautical miles away, as was mentioned yesterday, enjoying the famous hospitality of French Polynesia being currently berthed in Tahiti. One wonders why did the SSCS order the MS Gojira not to proceed with the other two vessels to Hobart. Perhaps they had a 'heads-up' that their would be problems because of the involvement of the vessel in aggressive actions against the JWF. As an Australian Flag State vessel her status is quite different in Australia from the other two vessels which are Netherlands Flag State and Australia is just their temporary Port State. It is the opinion of NAUTICAL LOG that the MS Gojira will change her Flag State to French Polynesia with a Port of Registry in Tahiti, this will no doubt be done as soon as possible.

Good Watch.

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