According to AAP and various other news sources, New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark called on Japanese whalers to deal with their damaged vessel in Antarctic waters or face international outrage if it caused an environmental disaster (especially considering we are right there with an appropriate vessel to help!)
Clark says she is not prepared to offer the ship port facilities in New Zealand, saying no request has been made for the ship to stop here, and that she expects the ship to be towed all the way back to Japan. However maritime law expert Duncan Currie also told New Zealand press that international conventions meant it should be towed as soon as possible to the nearest port (which would be in New Zealand) to mitigate the pollution risk.
In general the media seems pretty supportive of our position, however, according to some sources, the Esperanza is in fact called the Ezmerelda, and is captained by one Karli Thomas, who last time I checked was none other than our expedition leader. I wonder what Captain Frank is doing these days... considering starting a Southern Ocean towing business perhaps?