NISSHIN MARU RAMS S. KOREAN FUEL TANKER,

Wed Feb 20, 2013 9:01 am » by **Malogg**

**BREAKING NEWS** - NISSHIN MARU RAMS S. KOREAN FUEL TANKER, SAM SIMON, STEVE IRWIN, AND BOB BARKER

Feb. 20, 2013 – MELBOURNE, Australia — The SSS Bob Barker and SSS Steve Irwin have been rammed by the Japanese whaling fleet’s massive factory vessel, the Nisshin Maru. The floating slaughter-house is eight times the mass of the Steve Irwin.

The Bob Barker and the Steve Irwin were behind Sun Laurel, Steve Irwin on portside, Bob Barker on starboard.

On load-speaker, the Shonan Maru No. 2 ordered Sea Shepherd’s Australian flagged ship, the SSS Sam Simon, which is located in the Australian Antarctic Territory, to leave the area on the orders of the Government of Japan. Concussion grenades were thrown at the Bob Barker and the Steve Irwin by the crew of the Nissin Maru.

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MASSIVE OIL SPILL **

Sea Shepherd Australia Appeals to all Government and Regulatory Parties

Update from Jeff Hansen, Director of Sea Shepherd Australia
The South Korean-owned, Panamanian registered Sun Laurel, a vessel that has already spilt oil into the sea below 60 degrees and inside the Australian Antarctic Territorial waters is attempting to refuel the Nisshin Maru with heavy fuel oil (HFO). This is a VIOLATION of the Antarctic Treaty and a VIOLATION of Australian law and a VIOLATION of International law (MARPOL). We are deeply concerned of the potential for a massive oil spill and ecological disaster in the pristine Antarctic wilderness, off Australia's Antarctic coast in Australian waters.

At this stage the Sun Laurel has been unsuccessful at refuelling the Nisshin Maru, as the Sea Shepherd Fleet has managed to block whale poachers’ illegal attempts at refuelling.

To our knowledge, the Sun Laurel has never navigated down in the ice before. However in the early hours of this morning, the Sun Laurel went into the ice, just 15 miles off the ice shelf, and was surrounded by pack ice and ice floes.

The Sun Laurel entered the ice at around 2am AEDT when it was light, however it had to use spot lights to get its way out as it was getting dark. The current position of the Sam Simon is ¬ 65 degrees 52 minutes South ¬ 080 degrees, 28 minutes East or about 150 miles NE of Australia's Davis base, just off Pengin Island.

The Steve Irwin and Sam Simon maintain position on the Sun Laurel, while the Bob Barker is on the slip way of the Nisshin Maru. All three harpoon ships are currently circling the group, blasting the ships with water cannons, trying to bully a path through the ice for the Nisshin Maru. The Sea Shepherd ships are holding positions. The Yushin Maru 3 has been firing its ultra high-powered water cannon at the Sam Simon's radar. The Shonan Maru 2, the armed Japanese Coast Guard vessel is quickly moving in.

Captain Siddharth Chakravarty aboard the Steve Irwin has said, "This situation has gone too far. The recklessness of the Japanese Whaling Fleet and the Sun Laurel have put Antarctica's rich environment at grave risk for an ecological nightmare. The time has come for the Australian government to intervene and and put a stop to this insanity."

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:look:

http://www.seashepherd.org.au/news-and- ... -maru-1495

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https://www.facebook.com/seashepherdconservationsociety

Thu Feb 21, 2013 8:18 am » by **Malogg**

https://www.facebook.com/seashepherdaus ... group_id=0
** IN THE NEWS ** Director of Sea Shepherd Australia, Jeff Hansen, will be speaking to BBC World News - World Service 'News Day' program. AUDIO LIVESTREAM HERE TODAY THU FEB 21 5:40PM SYDNEY (AU) | 2:40PM PERTH (AU) | 6:00AM LONDON (UK) TIME: http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldserviceradio

Thu Feb 21, 2013 9:28 am » by **Eldorado**

They followed the Japanese to the Australian Antarctic Seas.........

and they were constantly harassing the Japanese, ramming them dozens of times along the way, even illegally boarding ships and threatening the sailors.........and have even started to make MSM headlines from their TV Show....they are paid employees of the MSM, basically becoming "radicals" for show........

The problem is that this has been a long drawn out series of acts of provocation, and attacks. The Japanese Govt is clearly not listening to these "shepherds" .....

and they are crying out for attention after they got rammed back.........LOL.......its surprising they arent at the bottom of the sea by now......

they should try a more democratic method instead of MSM sponsored attacks........

Thu Feb 21, 2013 9:32 am » by **Malogg**

Eldorado wrote:They followed the Japanese to the Australian Antarctic Seas.........

and they were constantly harassing the Japanese, ramming them dozens of times along the way, even illegally boarding ships and threatening the sailors.........and have even started to make MSM headlines from their TV Show....they are paid employees of the MSM, basically becoming "radicals" for show........

The problem is that this has been a long drawn out series of acts of provocation, and attacks. The Japanese Govt is clearly not listening to these "shepherds" .....

and they are crying out for attention after they got rammed back.........LOL.......its surprising they arent at the bottom of the sea by now......

they should try a more democratic method instead of MSM sponsored attacks........

If it was up to me I would blow the feckers out the OCEAN fkn scum killing marine life in such an EVILBAD HEARTLESS way FFS!!!... Ya must be mad!...

Thu Feb 21, 2013 7:25 pm » by **WillEase666**

Save the whales! Arm the Shepherd with torpedoes!

Sat Feb 23, 2013 7:31 am » by **Malogg**

February 22, 2013
Sea Shepherd Australia Releases further compelling vision
- NISSHIN MARU ATTACK ON THE BOB BARKER
- CLEAR FOOTAGE OF WHO RAMMED WHO

Sea Shepherd Australia has released further compelling vision from Wednesday’s ramming incident, in which the Japanese whaling fleet’s factory vessel, the Nisshin Maru, intentionally rammed the Sea Shepherd ships (SSS) Bob Barker, Steve Irwin and Sam Simon, as well as its own fuel tanker, the Sun Laurel.

The frightening vision clearly shows the Japanese whaling fleet’s 8,000 tonne factory vessel, the Nisshin Maru, pushing the Dutch-flagged, Dutch-owned, Australian operated ship, Bob Barker, into the Japanese whaling fleet's fuel tanker, the Sun Laurel, almost capsizing the Sea Shepherd ship and smashing down on the bridge of the Bob Barker.

Director of Sea Shepherd Australia, Jeff Hansen stated: "For the whalers to suggest that it was Sea Shepherd that rammed their massive illegal factory ship, is like a convicted hit and run criminal saying that it was the pedestrian that ran into their car. It’s simply another poor attempt by these poachers to gain some sort of sympathy for their blatant illegal poaching of whales in an established whale sanctuary, in violation of an Australian Federal Court Ruling. To see this massive bully factory whaling ship, that dwarfs the Bob Barker vessel, come crashing down on the bridge section is a clear indication that these whale poachers have absolutely no respect for not only cetacean, but also human life.”

Currently, the Steve Irwin and Bob Barker are with the Nisshin Maru. Two of the Japanese whale poaching fleet’s harpoon vessels also appear randomly, from time to time, in this same area but the crews of the Sea Shepherd Australia operated ships have not been able to identify specifically which harpoon vessels these are.

The Nisshin Maru has been changing direction regularly, turning east and west and east again – back and forth nine times, so far.

The Sam Simon is with the fuel tanker to the Japanese whaling fleet, the South Korean owned Sun Laurel, along with the Shonan Maru No. 2 and a third harpoon ship – also unidentified. The four ships stopped moving north last night and are 150' North of the Steve Irwin and the Bob Barker, drifting in bad weather

The Sea Shepherd Australia fleet expects that the Japanese whale poachers will again attempt to refuel, as soon as the bad weather clears.

February 20, 2013 -The Nisshin Maru rams the SSS Bob Barker into the fuel tanker,
the Sun Laurel

Upload to Disclose.tv

http://www.youtube.com/user/seashepherd?feature=watch

About Sea Shepherd

This is the OFFICIAL Sea Shepherd International YouTube channel, run by Sea Shepherd Australia.

This account is under the Australian Charity's wing.

Sat Feb 23, 2013 7:49 am » by **Malogg**

WillEase666 wrote:Save the whales! Arm the Shepherd with torpedoes!

Hear hear

Sat Feb 23, 2013 8:03 am » by **Eldorado**

Malogg man please understand my Green Party beliefs.......were no rebel soldiers aight........

What I meant to say was that they had no right to do what they were doing and the Aussies said nothing either........

The Japanese are still whaling......its fucked up I know......but what I am really saying is that they are looking for a source of oils....meat too, but the oil is considered more valuable than whale meat in Japan.

They need to push the Hemp industry in Japan as a deterrent for these whaling activities, to replace their whale oils with hemp oils...........that alone will make all whaling obsolete and useless, as there are far better and healthier meats to consume from regular fishing fleets.

The International Whaling Commission had banned this Consumer/Commercial Whaling except for scientific research........and the Japanese are hiding behind these Scientific Whaling Rights........they know its a loophole but they are regulated far more than before.......

The act of attacking anyone in International Waters is a crime......no different than Pirating, as they are clearly stalking their ships and trying to make breaches of their ships, to take control over other nation's vessels........

This is a sore situation.......and I am sorry to have to see it as a whole, and not be confined to the outcry of the environmentalists........I am against all hunting and whaling for commercial purposes, as well as being opposed to raising animals for slaughter.........

But I am also opposed to creating a fucking TV show to make the public more aware of the situation, a TV show that encourages copycats and other bandwaggoners that forget that there is another solution that is far better for all parties involved.......

The solution is Hemp.....

............not teaming up to rage on every issue, trying to claim they are deterring their japanese efforts by sabotaging them.....THAT is BS........

Not one whale was saved from their attacks......not one......where's the end result that changes the situation..........???

The answer is Hemp......rally with the alternatives, not the expletives

:cheers:

(we shouldnt be encouraging this BS)

Sat Feb 23, 2013 8:19 am » by **Eldorado**

BTW this "Ramming" was caused by the two other vessels intentionally getting into the path of the bow of the ship.....

the Japanese didnt maneuver right into the paths of BOTH ships, they surrounded the Japanese, and were obviously waiting for the slightest contact to be made from the waves moving the ship around in the small space left........they were not even moving forward AT ALL...........

And now they are crying like pussies online............"OH the JAPANESE HIT MY SHIP....we werent doing anything, they just rammed us.........." "We need your help" .... "watch our youtube video and like us"

There are rules to sailing that are considered Legitimate..........this is Manufactured BS at its worst......LOL

Anytime a group of "warriors" park their ship next to another blocking it in within a few feet, expect the rules of the International Bodies of Law to apply........and your shephard to become a sheeple.

Nice try convincing us though..........wow they were really moving fast werent they....... :lol:

Mon Feb 25, 2013 2:44 am » by **Malogg**

Eldorado wrote:Malogg man please understand my Green Party beliefs.......were no rebel soldiers aight........

What I meant to say was that they had no right to do what they were doing and the Aussies said nothing either........

The Japanese are still whaling......its fucked up I know......but what I am really saying is that they are looking for a source of oils....meat too, but the oil is considered more valuable than whale meat in Japan.

They need to push the Hemp industry in Japan as a deterrent for these whaling activities, to replace their whale oils with hemp oils...........that alone will make all whaling obsolete and useless, as there are far better and healthier meats to consume from regular fishing fleets.

The International Whaling Commission had banned this Consumer/Commercial Whaling except for scientific research........and the Japanese are hiding behind these Scientific Whaling Rights........they know its a loophole but they are regulated far more than before.......

The act of attacking anyone in International Waters is a crime......no different than Pirating, as they are clearly stalking their ships and trying to make breaches of their ships, to take control over other nation's vessels........

This is a sore situation.......and I am sorry to have to see it as a whole, and not be confined to the outcry of the environmentalists........I am against all hunting and whaling for commercial purposes, as well as being opposed to raising animals for slaughter.........

But I am also opposed to creating a fucking TV show to make the public more aware of the situation, a TV show that encourages copycats and other bandwaggoners that forget that there is another solution that is far better for all parties involved.......

The solution is Hemp.....

............not teaming up to rage on every issue, trying to claim they are deterring their japanese efforts by sabotaging them.....THAT is BS........

Not one whale was saved from their attacks......not one......where's the end result that changes the situation..........???

The answer is Hemp......rally with the alternatives, not the expletives

(we shouldnt be encouraging this BS)

....I know the Green Party was started by political scum but this is about saving the whales and marine life FFS nae fkn HEMP or anything else....

Military icebreaker arrives to defend Japanese whalers

Japan has sent a giant military icebreaker to bolster its whaling fleet in the conflict with Sea Shepherd off the Australian Antarctic Territory, anti-whaling activists say.

The 12,500 tonne Shirase, operated by the Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force, has appeared near whalers and Sea Shepherd activists 50 nautical miles off the coast of the territory, the group said.

The ship was recognised on radar by its identification signal, according to Sea Shepherd.

The Korean tanker Sun Laurel was making a renewed attempt to refuel the whalers' factory ship Nisshin Maru under the shelter of a Coast Guard helicopter from Shirase, Sea Shepherd founder Paul Watson said.

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The powerful icebreaker can carry up to 250 crew and three helicopters, and has conducted Antarctic resupply duties for Japan, according to the Japanese Ministry of Defence website.

Mr Watson said its last know port was Fremantle and last position received was 86

The Japanese military icebreaker Shirase has appeared near whalers in conflict with anti-whaling activists in the Australian Antarctic Territory. Photo: Robert Pearce

days ago.

''So I guess it has been out at sea for a while,'' he said. ''It may not be here for us specifically but is likely getting involved now.''

A blockade by Sea Shepherd stopped the Nisshin Maru from reaching the tanker last week.

Instead the whalers' mother ship was involved in a series of dramatic collisions with the Sun Laurel, and three Sea Shepherd vessels.

According to Mr Watson, after spending several days north of the ice, the Sun Laurel turned south, and early on Monday was approaching Nisshin Maru.

The ships were about off Mackenzie bay, far south-west of Perth, in a wildlife-rich area of Antarctica near the Amery Ice Shelf.

Mr Watson said the Sea Shepherd vessel Sam Simon had followed the Sun Laurel as it steamed through waters strewn with icebergs, and submerged ice chunks known as growlers in early morning darkness.

The Sun Laurel was not an ice-class vessel, and nor was it equipped with a spotlight, he said.

''This is a serious situation and the tanker should be recalled,'' Mr Watson said. ''This situation represents a real potential threat for a major oil spill in the area of MacKenzie Bay not far off shore of the continent of Antarctica.''

The Japanese government has repeatedly called for Sea Shepherd to end its obstruction of the whaling fleet. Comment is being sought from the Australian government over this latest development.

Japan's consul-general in Melbourne, Hidenobu Sobashima, said the activists endangered the lives of the crew, and property, and safe navigation at sea.

Mr Sobashima rejected a Sea Shepherd claim that the Nisshin Maru wanted to load heavy fuel oil, which is banned in the region.

''There is no violation of (International Maritime Organisation) rules,'' Mr Sobashima said.

Refuelling at sea inside the Antarctic Treaty area is not illegal, according to Australian experts.

http://www.nationaltimes.com.au/environ ... 2f0hj.html