Iran Sanctions, New Fuel Rules Headline Dubai Conference
New trading sanctions against Iran and new fuel rules coming in 2020 for the entire maritime sector were the headlines of a seminar hosted by marine insurer North P&I Club yesterday in Dubai at the Taj Dubai.On the topic of sanctions against Iran, Mark Church, Director (FD&D), said that “practical issues will continue to impact on the ability to trade with Iran even where the trade is permissible. We encourage members to enforce their own due diligence and assess high-risk areas to avoid non-compliance.”Thus new fuel rules for maritime coming in 2020…
Sea Shepherd Says Endangered Blue Whale Killed in Iceland
An endangered Blue whale has been killed by an Icelandic whaling company Hvalur hf to be sold for export to Japan, a conservationist organization Sea Shepherd said. "Sea Shepherd volunteers monitoring the Hvalur hf whaling station in Hvalfjordur Iceland have documented the slaughter of an endangered Blue whale on the night of July 7th, the 22nd endangered whale killed and butchered for export to Japan by Kristján Loftsson’s commercial whaling company since June 20, 2018," said a press release. Although the first 21 whales killed were endangered Fin whales – which the Icelandic government has permitted Loftsson’s company to slaughter…
Japan Won't Lower Guard of Whaling as Sea Shepherd Changes Tactics
Japan will not lower its guard over its whaling even though its biggest foe - the Sea Shepherd conservation group - has said it will not send ships to disrupt its fleet this year, a government official said on Tuesday. Paul Watson, founder of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, said in a statement on Monday the group’s limited resources made it difficult to compete with the military technology Japan employs to guard its whaling fleet and it would not send ships to the Southern Ocean this year. But an official at Japan’s Fisheries Agency was skeptical.
Sea Shepherd Global Launches Operation Siracusa
Following on from the incredibly successful 2014 campaign, Sea Shepherd Global launches Operation Siracusa 2015. Led by Sea Shepherd Italia, the campaign aims to defend the fragile ecosystem of the Plemmirio Marine Reserve, off the Eastern coast of Siracusa in Sicily, against illegal fishing. Already, the impact of the 2015 campaign has been felt. On Friday May 22, the first day of patrols for Operation Siracusa 2015, Sea Shepherd volunteers came across a vessel that they suspected to be engaged in illegal fishing activity. The vessel was discovered at night, with two divers close-by in the water, at the border of the “A-Zone” - the maximum protected area in the Reserve. Sea Shepherd immediately notified local authorities of the suspicious activity.
Manhunt for Ship Captain Condemned by Whale Watch
Whale Watch Alaska condemns manhunt for 'Sea Shepherd' captain. In light of the news late last month that Sea Shepherd’s founder, Captain Paul Watson, had forfeited his bail after being held under house arrest for 70 days in Germany, WWA made the decision today to publicly back the beleaguered captain. It is a controversial position to take for for any business, politician or celebrity (which include American actors Sean Penn and Martin Sheen as supporters) - let alone a tourism…
Rivergate Finishes Work on MY Steve Irwin
Rivergate Marina and Shipyard has completed the new helipad onboard the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society’s flagship, the MY Steve Irwin. Rivergate’s bid to fit the new helipad was accepted due to a design to move the helipad from the hangar to the fore deck. “Some of greatest ideas come from utilizing tried and tested technology in a new and different way,” said Mr Steve Fisher, General Manager of Rivergate. “The engineers, Marine Engineering Consultants, devised a system of…
