I've been monitoring the location of the icebreaker Shell is leasing from Finland, the MSV Fennica, on a website that uses global positioning and automated vessel identification systems called AIS. She is just leaving the dock in Dutch Harbor, and is on her way to the Vigor shipyard in Portland, Oregon (formerly Oregon Iron Works) for repairs. She was damaged leaving Dutch Harbor for the Chukchi Sea. This presents another opportunity to highlight and protest the ridiculous plan to drill for oil in the Arctic. Follow me across the fold for more background on what happened to Shell's icebreaker, and why this is a major development in their Arctic escapades.
This story has been unfolding for the past couple weeks, and has been well covered here by Pakalolo previously, both when it first happened, and after Shell realized the scope of the problem, and decided to press forward with drilling, (even without crucial equipment), so I won't go into much detail. Here's the short version:
When leaving Dutch Harbor, the Fennica (a 380 foot long ship) chose a shorter route to save time. This resulted in running into an uncharted submerged object that left a 39 inch by 2 inch gash in her hull. This ship is carrying the cap for the well should it blow out, and is one of two icebreakers Shell is using to handle ice in the area (if there is any). During this time, Shell decided to proceed with moving their platforms into position to drill. They still need a permit to actually drill, and this development does not cast the operation in a positive light.
The Fennica has been sitting in port for two weeks while they figured out what to do, and this morning she is departing for Portland for repairs. This event is a good example of why oil exploration in the Arctic is such a bad idea. Help is a long ways away if things go wrong, and I don't even want to think of what happens to the environment when a Deepwater Horizon-type event occurs. Apparently there are some in our Senate who agree oil exploration in the Arctic should be banned (Bernie Sanders is one of them). Of course, this legislation has no chance with the current bunch, but with some more protest, we can increase awareness and maybe bring an end to this madness.
Send comments to the Department of Interior, President Obama, as well as your Senate and Congressional Representatives. Tell them you think it's insane to continue extracting and burning fossil fuels, ESPECIALLY in the Arctic!
As a side note, the Fennica will be within a few miles of my house as she proceeds up the Columbia River. This is personal, and in my neighborhood. I will post developments for any local protest activities, etc. when I find them.
SHELL NO!