Don’t let crippled whaling ship become an Antarctic disaster
The whaling factory ship Nisshin Maru has been crippled by an accidental fire and is currently without engine power in the Ross Sea, Antarctica. Oil and fuel aboard the ship presents an unacceptable risk to the pristine Antarctic environment, and the ice and weather are closing in.
The Greenpeace ship, Esperanza, has offered to tow the Nisshin Maru to safety. The Esperanza was constructed as a fire-fighting vessel and has towing capabilities. Her captain has ten years experience on a salvage tug.
Bureaucrats in Tokyo have rejected Greenpeace's offers of assistance, despite pressure from the New Zealand government and Japan's obligations under the Antarctic Treaty to accept help.