Discover the Southern-Star: Ratings & Maritime News

In a dramatic act of protest, Tasmanian police apprehended four individuals who had chained themselves to the woodchip cargo vessel 'Southern Star' (IMO 9344071) in Bell Bay, located in northern Tasmania. The incident unfolded early in the morning, around 6:00 AM, when the activists unlawfully accessed the port yard. Among them, two protesters secured themselves to a conveyor belt, while the others dangled over the ship, attached with heavy chains and locks. In response, authorities deployed a specialized police search and rescue team to safely release the demonstrators. All four were subsequently taken into custody and charged with trespassing, with the potential for additional charges pending further investigation. Meanwhile, approximately a dozen supporters gathered at the port gates, urging the timber company Artec to halt its native woodchipping operations. For more details, visit http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/05/13/3215761.htm.