MV Arctic Sunrise
Encyclopedia
The MY Arctic Sunrise is an icebreaker
operated by Greenpeace
. The vessel was built in 1975 and has a gross tonnage of 949 tonne
s, a length of 50 m and a maximum speed of 13 knots (25.5 km/h). Under the original name of Polarbjorn ("polar bear"), it was used as a sealing
ship, until chartered by environmental protection organization Greenpeace
in 1995.
The Arctic Sunrise has been involved in various campaigns including anti-whaling
campaigns in the Southern Ocean
. She is registered as a Motor Vessel.
In January 2006 the Arctic Sunrise and Nisshin Maru
, a Japan
ese whaling
ship, collided. Both ships suffered minor damage.
In June 2006, the Arctic Sunrise was banned from attending the 58th International Whaling Commission
meeting in St. Kitts by the St. Kitts and Nevis Government citing national security concerns. Greenpeace's protests were discussed at the same IWC meeting with agenda item IWC/58/3, relating to their protest actions against Japanese whaling in the Southern ocean in December 2005 / January 2006, during which a collision occurred between a Japanese whaling ship and a Greenpeace ship, resulting in this resolution from the IWC.
On August 30, 2007 the Arctic Sunrise was involved in a protest against the Canadian laker Algomarine off of Nanticoke, Ontario
where she was attempting to enter harbor with a load of coal for the power station. A Zodiac RIB
came alongside and activists painted the hull of the laker with "No Coal. No Nuclear. Clean Energy." Two activists then boarded the boat and chained themselves to the self unloading boom. A third activist suspended herself with the use of a climbing harness from the rudder of the Algomarine, effectively halting it. The Canadian Coast Guard
was called in to remove the protesters.
In early February 2007 the ship was moored in Leith docks, in Edinburgh. On 23 February 2007, she took part in a blockade of Faslane Naval Base
and was subsequently impounded by the MoD
police
.
Icebreaker
An icebreaker is a special-purpose ship or boat designed to move and navigate through ice-covered waters. Although the term usually refers to ice-breaking ships, it may also refer to smaller vessels .For a ship to be considered an icebreaker, it requires three traits most...
operated by Greenpeace
Greenpeace
Greenpeace is a non-governmental environmental organization with offices in over forty countries and with an international coordinating body in Amsterdam, The Netherlands...
. The vessel was built in 1975 and has a gross tonnage of 949 tonne
Tonne
The tonne, known as the metric ton in the US , often put pleonastically as "metric tonne" to avoid confusion with ton, is a metric system unit of mass equal to 1000 kilograms. The tonne is not an International System of Units unit, but is accepted for use with the SI...
s, a length of 50 m and a maximum speed of 13 knots (25.5 km/h). Under the original name of Polarbjorn ("polar bear"), it was used as a sealing
Seal hunting
Seal hunting, or sealing, is the personal or commercial hunting of seals. The hunt is currently practiced in five countries: Canada, where most of the world's seal hunting takes place, Namibia, the Danish region of Greenland, Norway and Russia...
ship, until chartered by environmental protection organization Greenpeace
Greenpeace
Greenpeace is a non-governmental environmental organization with offices in over forty countries and with an international coordinating body in Amsterdam, The Netherlands...
in 1995.
Actions
Whaling
Whaling is the hunting of whales mainly for meat and oil. Its earliest forms date to at least 3000 BC. Various coastal communities have long histories of sustenance whaling and harvesting beached whales...
campaigns in the Southern Ocean
Southern Ocean
The Southern Ocean comprises the southernmost waters of the World Ocean, generally taken to be south of 60°S latitude and encircling Antarctica. It is usually regarded as the fourth-largest of the five principal oceanic divisions...
. She is registered as a Motor Vessel.
In January 2006 the Arctic Sunrise and Nisshin Maru
Nisshin Maru
The 23-year-old, 8,030-ton vessel is the primary research vessel of the Japanese whaling fleet. It is a converted stern trawler and is the world's only whale factory ship. It is also the largest member, and flagship of the seven-member whaling fleet, headed by research leader Shigetoshi Nishiwaki,...
, a Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese whaling
Whaling
Whaling is the hunting of whales mainly for meat and oil. Its earliest forms date to at least 3000 BC. Various coastal communities have long histories of sustenance whaling and harvesting beached whales...
ship, collided. Both ships suffered minor damage.
In June 2006, the Arctic Sunrise was banned from attending the 58th International Whaling Commission
International Whaling Commission
The International Whaling Commission is an international body set up by the terms of the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling , which was signed in Washington, D.C...
meeting in St. Kitts by the St. Kitts and Nevis Government citing national security concerns. Greenpeace's protests were discussed at the same IWC meeting with agenda item IWC/58/3, relating to their protest actions against Japanese whaling in the Southern ocean in December 2005 / January 2006, during which a collision occurred between a Japanese whaling ship and a Greenpeace ship, resulting in this resolution from the IWC.
On August 30, 2007 the Arctic Sunrise was involved in a protest against the Canadian laker Algomarine off of Nanticoke, Ontario
Nanticoke, Ontario
Nanticoke is an unincorporated community and former city located on the western border of Haldimand County, Ontario, Canada. It is southeast of Simcoe in neighbouring Norfolk County and south of Brantford...
where she was attempting to enter harbor with a load of coal for the power station. A Zodiac RIB
Rigid-hulled inflatable boat
A rigid-hulled inflatable boat, or rigid-inflatable boat is a light-weight but high-performance and high-capacity boat constructed with a solid, shaped hull and flexible tubes at the gunwale. The design is stable and seaworthy...
came alongside and activists painted the hull of the laker with "No Coal. No Nuclear. Clean Energy." Two activists then boarded the boat and chained themselves to the self unloading boom. A third activist suspended herself with the use of a climbing harness from the rudder of the Algomarine, effectively halting it. The Canadian Coast Guard
Canadian Coast Guard
The Canadian Coast Guard is the coast guard of Canada. It is a federal agency responsible for providing maritime search and rescue , aids to navigation, marine pollution response, marine radio, and icebreaking...
was called in to remove the protesters.
In early February 2007 the ship was moored in Leith docks, in Edinburgh. On 23 February 2007, she took part in a blockade of Faslane Naval Base
HMNB Clyde
Her Majesty's Naval Base Clyde is one of three operating bases in the United Kingdom for the Royal Navy...
and was subsequently impounded by the MoD
Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)
The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....
police
Ministry of Defence Police
The Ministry of Defence Police is a civilian police force which is part of the United Kingdom's Ministry of Defence. The force is part of the larger government agency, the Ministry of Defence Police and Guarding Agency , together with the Ministry of Defence Guard Service...
.