SHIRASE

General information

Course/Position

Latest news

Icebreaker ran aground in Arctic waters

The "Shirase", transporting two expedition teams, ran aground in the Antarctic Ocean on Feb. 16, 2014, odin.tc reports. An underwater rock crippled the icebreaker at 7:40 a.m. when its underside scraped it 700 meters off the unmanned Russian Molodyozhnaya Station in position 67 39S 045 49E. In spite of a water ingress in the damaged section, the two-tiered structure of the vessel enabled it to avoid further damage. None of the expedition teams or crew were injured. No fuel leak was reported. The first attempt by crew members to get the vessel off the rocks failed during high tide between 7 to 9 a.m. on Feb. 17, after examination of the ship's damaged underside using an underwater camera. The next attempt was to be undertaken during high tide on the night of Feb. 17.

Japanese navy icebreaker Shirase joins whaling fleet

A japanese military ship has joined its whaling fleet in the Southern Ocean on Sunday, Feb. 24, 2013, increasing tension between whalers and activists after collisions last week. The 140m-long Shirase icebreaker, operated by the navy and described by activists as "intimidating", arrived near the Nisshin Maru whaling ship and Korean-flagged fuel tanker Sun Laurel in Australia's Antarctic territory early yesterday morning, Sea Shepherd Captain Paul Watson said. Before daylight, it sent a helicopter into the sky above the Sun Laurel, which is being prevented from refuelling the Nisshin Maru by activists who believe it is illegally carrying heavy oil, he said. "They're heavily armed helicopters," Mr Watson told News Limited from the Steve Irwin, one of three Sea Shepherd boats in the area. "They carry three of these big helicopters. "It is intimidating, but we're going to hold our ground and make sure they don't kill any whales." More with video http://www.news.com.au/national/armed-helicopters-support-whalers-claims-sea-shepherd/story-fncynjr2-1226585219218