MV Greenpeace
Encyclopedia
The MV Greenpeace (Formerly known as the Elbe) was a Greenpeace
ship built in 1959 as an ocean going tug/salvage vessel. She was purchased by Greenpeace in 1977 and refitted with modern equipment before being relaunched in 1986. She took over from the first Rainbow Warrior
, which had been sunk in 1985 by French commandos. In 2001 she was replaced by the MV Esperanza
.
. The next decade and a half saw her involved in Greenpeace campaigns around the world, from the Persian Gulf to the Antarctic.
Whilst participating in protests against the US testing of Trident missile
s in 1989, the Greenpeace was rammed by US Navy vessels. In late 1993 crew aboard the ship exposed Russian ships dumping 900 tonnes of liquid radioactive waste into the Sea of Japan
. Protests against the resumption of French nuclear testing in French Polynesia
followed in 1995. During this time the vessel was boarded and detained by French police in international waters.
The Greenpeace was replaced in 2001 by the MV Esperanza.. She has since been reconverted to her original form as the Elbe and is now a museum ship in Maassluis.
Greenpeace
Greenpeace is a non-governmental environmental organization with offices in over forty countries and with an international coordinating body in Amsterdam, The Netherlands...
ship built in 1959 as an ocean going tug/salvage vessel. She was purchased by Greenpeace in 1977 and refitted with modern equipment before being relaunched in 1986. She took over from the first Rainbow Warrior
Rainbow Warrior (1978)
The Rainbow Warrior was a former UK Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food trawler later purchased by the environmental organisation Greenpeace...
, which had been sunk in 1985 by French commandos. In 2001 she was replaced by the MV Esperanza
MV Esperanza
MY Esperanza is a ship operated by Greenpeace. Previous to being a Greenpeace ship it was a fire-fighter owned by the Russian Navy, built in 1984. It was recommissioned in 2000 and launched in 2002 after being named Esperanza by visitors to the Greenpeace website. It had undergone a major refit...
.
Career
During her 15 years of service with Greenpeace, the MV or Black Pig as she was known by her crew, circumnavigated the globe several times, participating in numerous campaigns. Her first deployment was as part of a peace convoy protesting against French Nuclear Testing at Moruroa AtollMoruroa
Moruroa , also historically known as Aopuni, is an atoll which forms part of the Tuamotu Archipelago in French Polynesia in the southern Pacific Ocean...
. The next decade and a half saw her involved in Greenpeace campaigns around the world, from the Persian Gulf to the Antarctic.
Whilst participating in protests against the US testing of Trident missile
Trident missile
The Trident missile is a submarine-launched ballistic missile equipped with multiple independently-targetable reentry vehicles . The Fleet Ballistic Missile is armed with nuclear warheads and is launched from nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines . Trident missiles are carried by fourteen...
s in 1989, the Greenpeace was rammed by US Navy vessels. In late 1993 crew aboard the ship exposed Russian ships dumping 900 tonnes of liquid radioactive waste into the Sea of Japan
Sea of Japan
The Sea of Japan is a marginal sea of the western Pacific Ocean, between the Asian mainland, the Japanese archipelago and Sakhalin. It is bordered by Japan, North Korea, Russia and South Korea. Like the Mediterranean Sea, it has almost no tides due to its nearly complete enclosure from the Pacific...
. Protests against the resumption of French nuclear testing in French Polynesia
French Polynesia
French Polynesia is an overseas country of the French Republic . It is made up of several groups of Polynesian islands, the most famous island being Tahiti in the Society Islands group, which is also the most populous island and the seat of the capital of the territory...
followed in 1995. During this time the vessel was boarded and detained by French police in international waters.
The Greenpeace was replaced in 2001 by the MV Esperanza.. She has since been reconverted to her original form as the Elbe and is now a museum ship in Maassluis.