Rainbow Warrior III - artist's impression
This is the first time in the environmental organisation's
history it has chosen to commission a purpose-built high seas
sailing ship instead of refurbishing an older one.
The Rainbow Warrior III, being built in Germany, will be wind
powered with a back-up diesel-electric engine which will be used
depending on weather conditions. The A-frame design of the mast and
the positioning of the sails has been optimised for efficiency and
the shape of the hull has been designed for maximum fuel
conservation. Heat created by the generators will be re-used to
heat water on board and for engine pre-heating.
The new ship is due to be completed in 2011 when Greenpeace will
mark its 40th anniversary. It will replace the 52 year-old Rainbow
Warrior II, which was purchased by Greenpeace 20 years ago and has
been used in environmental campaigns around the world, including
New Zealand last year.
Greenpeace New Zealand Executive Director, Bunny McDiarmid, said
New Zealanders have a close link to the original Rainbow Warrior
which was bombed by French secret service agents, in 1985, as it
was preparing for a campaign against French nuclear testing in the
Pacific. The two bombs killed one crew member, photographer
Fernando Pereira, and destroyed the ship beyond repair.
"The Rainbow Warrior is synonymous with Greenpeace, particularly
in this part of the
World, and the spirit of hope that the first Warrior carried and
that was passed onto
the second Rainbow Warrior, will no doubt be on board when the
new Warrior is launched," she said.
"Not only does our flagship provide Greenpeace with a platform
to challenge environmental abuse across the world, it provides
people with inspiration to take action
of their own. We look forward to seeing the new Warrior here in
our waters to carry that on."
Currently the Greenpeace fleet consists of three ships, Rainbow
Warrior II (currently in the Mediterranean being used for
campaigner training), Arctic Sunrise (currently documenting ice
melt in the Arctic) and Esperanza (in the Pacific documenting
climate change impacts). The Esperanza is the youngest of the
fleet, ideal for fast and long range missions.
Following the bombing in Auckland Harbour Rainbow Warrior I was
scuttled and sunk in the clear deep waters of Matauri Bay in New
Zealand and is a popular spot for recreational divers.
Other contacts: Bunny McDiarmid Greenpeace Executive Director 021 838 183
Phil Crawford Greenpeace Communications Officer 021 2299 594
phil.crawford@greenpeace.org
Notes: Artist impressions of the Rainbow Warrior III can be downloaded directly from;
http://www.greenpeace.gen.nz/media/main.php/v/press/rw3/
Greenpeace was formed in 1971 when a group of volunteers on-board an old
fishing vessel called the Phyllis Cormack set out for Amchitka off the coast
of Canada in order to protest nuclear testing on the island. Since then
Greenpeace has used its fleet of ships to bear witness to environmental
crimes like over-fishing and whaling, to block shipments of hazardous
materials like nuclear waste and shipments of illegal drivers of climate
change (including timber, oil, palm oil and coal). The first Rainbow
Warrior was sunk in the port of Auckland by the French Government on July
10, 1985 as she was preparing to protest French nuclear testing in Mururoa.
Exp. contact date: 2009-08-07 00:00:00