Bbc-Raise

On June 22, 2014, a dozen Greepeace activists blocked the port entrance of La Rochelle with three zodiacs in order to keep the "Safmarine Sahara" from entering the port. The vessel had on board a shipment of tropical timber. The environmental organization considered it illegal to discharge the import wood. Two militants took position in the water where the vessel was to be moored. The words "illegal wood" was painted on the hull. A few hours after the start of the action, the port authorities have asked the captain of the ship to turn around and anchor off the port. Considering the successful action and given the intervention of the police, the activists have finally lifted the blockade. French report with photo: http://www.rts.ch/info/monde/5952091-un-cargo-de-bois-tropical-bloque-par-greenpeace-a-la-rochelle.html

Safmarine held a naming ceremony in Savannah for its newest vessel, the Safmarine Sahara, on Friday. Built at the Wuhu Xinlian Shipyard in China, the ship is Safmarine’s second newly-built multi-purpose vessel (MPV), which allows the service to handle both containerized and break bulk cargo. http://www.maritime-executive.com/pressrelease/gpa-safmarine-holds-ship-naming-ceremony