Oriental Bluebird
From SpottingWorld, the Hub for the SpottingWorld network...
| Career | Japan |
|---|---|
| Name: | Hiyo Maru |
| Owner: | Kyodo Senpaku Kaisha, Ltd[1] |
| Operator: | Institute of Cetacean Research[1] |
| Port of registry: | Japan[1] |
| Launched: | 1979[1] |
| Renamed: | "Hiyo Maru" after dispute with Panamanian Gov't. |
| Status: | in active service, as of 2024[update] |
| General characteristics | |
| Type: | Products tanker (single hulled)[1] |
| Tonnage: | 8,725 GT (gross tonnage)[1] |
| Length: | 143.29 m (470 ft 1 in) o/a[1] |
| Beam: | 20.41 m (67 ft 0 in) (moulded)[1] |
| Draft: | 8.42 m (27 ft 7 in)[1] |
Hiyo Maru is the fuel tanker/whale meat transporter for the Japanese whaling fleet. In 1992, it was renamed and re-flagged to Panama as the Oriental Bluebird. According to Greenpeace, after a dispute with the Panamanian Government in 2008, it was de-flagged and re-registered to Japan. [2] The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society claims that the Hiyo Maru was illegally re-fueling the whaling mothership, Nisshin Maru on January 5, 2010 [3]
The Hiyo Maru serves as the fuel tanker for Japan's whaling fleet[4], and is alleged by Greenpeace to also transport whale meat.[5]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 Lloyd's Register - Fairplay, access date February 20, 2007
- ↑ http://www.greenpeace.org/international/press/releases/season-may-be-ended-for-damage
- ↑ http://www.seashepherd.org/news-and-media/news-100108-1.html
- ↑ NZ Herald, 27 January 2005
- ↑ Greenpeace weblog, eyewitness account, published 9 January 2006
| |||||||||||||||||
