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A court in the US has labelled conservationist group Sea Shepherd "pirates". Judge Alex Kozinski said the group's "aggressive and high-profile attacks" on Japan's whaling fleet endangered lives, ordering them to stop. US-based Sea Shepherd has for many years chased the Japanese whalers, attempting to disrupt the annual hunt. The two sides have frequently clashed at sea, blaming each other for collisions and damage. Three Sea Shepherd ships have been involved a stand-off and clashes with the whaling fleet in the icy waters of the Southern Ocean for several weeks. They have been trying to prevent the Japanese ships from refuelling from a tanker ship, the Sun Laurel. Both parties released video footage this week which they said showed the other deliberately ramming their ships. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-21589352

After having been hit by the "Nisshin Maru" on Feb 20, 2013, the "Sun Laurel" was being escorted north by the Sea Shepherd fleet, since they have no emergency life-saving devices in the potentially treacherous waters of the Southern Ocean. The "Nisshin Maru" had pushed the Bob Barker into the tanker, sandwiching the Bob Barker between itself and the "Sun Laurel". The "Nisshin Maru" then fell back behind the "Bob Barker" and rammed into the portside stern of the "Sun Laurel", shattering their portside life-raft, and destroying the davit to launch the other life-raft. The "Nisshin Maru" then rammed the "Bob Barker" again from behind, destroying one of their radars, and all of their masts. Reports with photos: http://www.delo.si/novice/svet/nov-morski-spopad-med-kitolovkami-in-morskimi-pastirji.html http://www.ad.nl/ad/nl/5596/Planet/article/detail/3396983/2013/02/20/Japanse-walvisjager-valt-schepen-Sea-Shepherd-aan.dhtml http://beachcarolina.com/2013/02/20/nisshin-maru-rams-s-korean-fuel-tanker-sss-sam-simin-sss-steve-irwin-and-sss-bob-barker/#

The SSS Bob Barker and SSS Steve Irwin have been rammed by the Japanese whaling fleet’s factory vessel, the Nisshin Maru. The Bob Barker and the Steve Irwin were behind Sun Laurel, Steve Irwin on portside, Bob Barker on starboard. On load-speaker, the Shonan Maru No. 2 ordered Sea Shepherd’s Australian flagged ship, the SSS Sam Simon, which is located in the Australian Antarctic Territory, to leave the area on the orders of the Government of Japan. Concussion grenades were thrown at the Bob Barker and the Steve Irwin by the crew of the Nissin Maru. Captain Peter Hammarstedt radioed the whaling fleet’s factory vessel, the Nisshin Maru, and told them that the Bob Barker intended to maintain course and speed, that the moral and legal obligation to avoid the collision was on the Nisshin Maru. The Nisshin Maru, turned and was approaching from starboard. It nearly collided with Bob Barker, before it turned into Steve Irwin, and rammed the Sea Shepherd ship’s stern.The Nisshin Maru continued on its collision course, and rammed the portside of the Steve Irwin.The Nisshin Maru then rammed the Bob Barker. The Steve Irwin increased its speed ahead to avoid the Nisshin Maru. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151451096463259&set=a.130474138258.105123.122102628258&type=1&theater&notif_t=notify_me