Press release - 10 July, 2013
Hamburg, 10 July, 2013 - Today the cargo company "charter Unifeeder" has refused to transport whale meat.
This morning, a cargo ship transporting whale meat to Japan was scaled by Greenpeace activists in Tollerort-Terminal, Hamburg, Germany. Four activists tied themselves to the mooring between ship and land. At the same time, ten other activists attached a banner to its hull which read: "This is where Germany supports whaling."
Iris Menn, Greenpeace Oceans & Biodiversity Campaigner: "This is a great success for us. It will now be difficult to find a ship that transports the whale meat to its final destination."
Greenpeace is calling on Environment Minister Peter Altmaier (CDU) and the Hamburg Mayor Olaf Scholz (SPD) to use this opportunity and destroy the whale meat. At the same time a long-term legally binding ban for whale meat shipments must be put in place for all German harbours.
"As long as the Government does not stop the transit of whale meat, it is a partner in crime in the hunt for endangered fin whales. An appeal by the German Government to all ports to voluntarily ban whale meat is not enough", said Menn.
On Friday, the whale meat – made up of approximately ten fin whales – arrived at the harbour of Hamburg on the cargo ship, Cosco Pride. Greenpeace activists met the ship at the federal state boundary waving protest banners. They escorted the ship on its way to the harbour, then informed the administrative bodies.
Attention editorial teams
Please send your questions to:
Oceans-expert, Dr. Iris Menn, 0049-171-888 00 23
Press Spokeswoman, Michelle Bayona, Tel. 0049-171-8780 830
Photo material via 0049-40-30618 376. Film material via 0049-171-8780 830.