Japan urged to 'use Greenpeace' (to tow stricken whaling ship) [View All]

[Barrett808]

Japan urged to 'use Greenpeace'

New Zealand is urging Japan to allow a Greenpeace vessel to tow its stricken whaling ship out of Antarctic waters.

New Zealand's Conservation Minister Chris Carter said it is imperative the Nisshin Maru is moved to prevent any pollution of the pristine area.

Japan has refused the offer, saying the ship - which has been disabled by a fire - is no threat to the environment.

The Japanese whalers have had a number of confrontations at sea with anti-whaling activists in recent days.

One crew member is still missing after the fire broke out on board the Nisshin Maru - an 8,000-tonne processing ship - just before daybreak on Thursday.

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"There's no threat of oil leakage at all, and no worries over environmental pollution from the Nisshin Maru," said Kenji Masuda, of the Fisheries Agency.

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http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6367721.stm

Move crippled whaler now, NZ tells Japan

Japanese authorities are resisting international pressure to let a Greenpeace vessel tow a stricken whaling ship away from Antarctica's pristine coast, amid fears of an oil spill.

New Zealand's Conservation Minister Chris Carter said he'd told Japan it was "imperative" that the fire-damaged Nisshin Maru be immediately towed away from the coast.

The 8,000-tonne ship, carrying 1.3 million litres of oil, was crippled by fire on Thursday and is currently lashed to two other Japanese vessels 175km from Antarctic's biggest penguin rookery at Cape Adare.

Carter has warned of an environmental disaster if it starts leaking oil and said Japan's government should use the Greenpeace ship Esperanza, a converted Russian tug, or a US icebreaker in the area.

While noting Japan's objections, he said Greenpeace's offer of help was "reasonable" and said it was a "long shot" that the US icebreaker would be able to move the whaler.

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http://wimmera.yourguide.com.au/detail.asp?class=international%20news&subclass=general&story_id=557967&category=General&m=&y=