Putting a stop to dangerous cargo in the Mediterranean
Our ship the Arctic Sunrise is in the Mediterranean, in Italian waters. Recently our activists from the ship have been busy highlighting the threat to the Bonifacio Strait from the shipping of dangerous cargo. This part of the Mediterranean Sea lies within the Ligurian Cetacean Sanctuary. Yesterday activists scaled a castle that sits on the edge of the Bonafacio Strait - and unfurled a banner demanding the protection of this vulnerable marine area which is subjected to shipping activities including the transport of hazardous cargo.
Click to enlarge image
Today our activists approached The Hyundai Supreme - a cargo vessel that was carrying around 560 tonnes of dangerous substances. They escorted the Panamanian-flagged ship in inflatable boats and held up banners.
The Bonifacio Strait, lying between Corsica and Sardinia, is an area of high marine biodiversity. Although the French and Italian governments agreed in 1993 to protect the area and ban their own vessels from carrying dangerous substances through Bonifacio, real protection has failed. Every year, around 3,000 cargo ships – including French and Italian vessels - cross the Bonifacio Strait, and approximately ten percent of these carry dangerous substances.
The French and Italian governments must take immediate action to give real protection to the Bonifacio Strait, and address the threat still posed by ships carrying dangerous cargo. A wreck in this exceptional site would be an environmental disaster not only for the Mediterranean Sea, but also for the local economy which depends on tourism.
Tomorrow the Arctic Sunrise will embark on a scientific expedition in the Ligurian Cetacean Sanctuary. They will carry out cetacean surveys and monitor ship traffic and floating garbage. They will sample for bacteria and pollution from hydrocarbons and document the sanctuary life on the surface and underwater by scuba diving and through the use of a deep water camera (dropcam).
Images © Greenpeace/Paul Hilton
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