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UN Maritime body seeks to evict Greenpeace

Greenpeace activists deliver a sculpture, 2 by 5 metres, made from the remains of ships taken from Indian shipbreaking yards to delegates attending the International Maritime Organisation in London. Enlarge Image

Deadly cost of shipbreaking

Politicians deciding on rules for scrapping old ships got a timely reminder when a sculpture, made from the remains of ships taken from Indian shipbreaking yards, was delivered to delegates attending the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) meeting in London.

View of ship breaking yard where hazardous materials onboard ships cause pollution and endanger workers. Enlarge Image

France reclaims toxic ship

After being caught illegally exporting ships containing hazardous waste to Turkey, the French military has seized a former french aircraft carrier they had sold for scrapping. This high seas tale exposes again the underhand tactics and cost cutting of some sections of the shipping industry at the expense of the environment and workers' health.

A oil cleanup volunteer holds a Comorant covered in oil from the sunken Prestige oil tanker on the coast of Galicia, Spain. Enlarge Image

Prestige: one year on

The Prestige oil tanker sank on November 13th, 2002. But this Thursday marks not the one year anniversary of an accident, but year one of a decade-long disaster. Despite this, criminally little has been done to prevent the recurrence of a similar catastrophe.

The International Maritime Organisation's most visible action in response to the Prestige oil spill: a move to evict Greenpeace. Enlarge Image

IMO seeks to remove Greenpeace

One year following the Prestige oil spill, the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) has done nothing to prevent further catastrophes. Instead, the organisation is trying to remove the consultative status of one of its most outspoken critics: Greenpeace. Here's what you can do to help ensure the IMO has to factor in the voice of the planet and its people when it makes decisions, rather than just the voices of vested interests in the shipping industry.

IMO rejects proposal to evict Greenpeace from the UN body responsible for governance of the oceans. Enlarge Image

Victory! Greenpeace stays in IMO

The International Maritime Organisation, which was considering expulsion of Greenpeace for "unsafe seamanship" has accepted Greenpeace's arguments and bowed to pressure from cyberactivists the world over -- Greenpeace will continue to speak for the oceans in a body dominated by the interests of the oil and shipping industries.

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Despite statements that the Chair's decision was effective immediately, there appeared to be a last minute procedural retreat once this story began generating press enquiries. The Chair's decision has now been "forwarded for formal decision to the IMO Assembly later this year."