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PEACE NO GO

The hopeless MS Esperanza, now offering a sightseeing Arctic voyage.
Rig Kulluk


Rig Noble Discoverer

Today we have some different environmental news at least different for NAUTICAL LOG.   Usually we do not write about Greenpeace® because usually they do not do anything really worthwhile just hang banners and dangle off anchor chains.  At least the SSCS pirates put their money where their mouth is even if it does spout forth bombastic, pompous, hot air - though "Wats-his-name" is rather quiet these days.  Wonder why?


In spite of Greenpeace® having an ice-strengthened vessel the MS Esperanza (which means Hope in Spanish) they do not go to the Antarctic to assist the SSCS.  It would seem the name of their rather ancient ex-Russian Navy vessel expresses their attitude - they hope to stop environmental damage rather than actually stopping it.


Royal Dutch Shell  PLC which has finally been issued permits to start exploratory drilling in the Arctic this Summer  was concerned that the work would be interrupted by Greenpeace® and indeed the MS Ezperanza arrived in Seattle, WA with that planned. 


The U.S. District Court of Alaska issued an Order filed Tuesday against the Greenpeace® restraining them from any interference with the Shell operations.  Royal Dutch Shell are preparing two rigs in Seattle, WA shipyards to be moved to the northern coast of Alaska, the Noble Discover to the Chukchi Sea and Kulluk to the Beaufort Sea.  Areas NAUTICAL LOG knows from Watchofficer days in the Canadian Coastguard Icebreakers.  The Restraining Order prevents Greenpeace® from approaching within 200 miles of the shore and remains in effect until the end of October 2012.


Good Watch.

What also remains in effect is the fact that nearly 600 of our fellow seafarers remain hostage of pirates off the coast of Puntland, Somalia.  As such they face mutilation or death each and every day with no hope of rescue in sight with not even a plan to do so.

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