From: The Greenpeace vessel Altair
Date: Tues 13-JUN-95 16:06:12 GMT
We've been following the enormous monstrosity of the Shell oil platform Brent Spar now for two days. We are travelling incredibly slowly toward the planned dump site. Even at the distance we are from the rig the Brent Spar looms across the whole of our horizon. It's midday, and the rig is 45 Nautical miles from Shetland.
This morning, when we launched inflatables from the Altair, Shell's boats, the Rembas and Torbas started spraying us and the Spar with water cannons. They sent a message out to Greenpeace saying it was carrying out "fire practice," and warned that it would be dangerous to go near the Spar, and Shell would have no liability if anyone was injured.
In Lerwick Harbour in the Shetland Islands, fishing vessels are flying Greenpeace flags with the Shell logo covered in oil, and "don't dump the sea" written on them. It's good to know that people around us are giving us their support. Cliche as it is, every little bit helps.
Today we heard that the UK Government has received the copy of the Shell report we leaked on the 'real' cost of decommissioning of the Spar on land rather than dumping at sea. Shell had commissioned the report several years ago but it shows that the cost of land decommissioning would be 9 million pounds, not the 30-40 million pounds Shell is quoting. The UK government was denied this information when it made its decision. We hope the fact that Shell is clearly withholding information that they think will not help their claim to dump may motivate the government to reconsider its permission.
International pressure continues to build on Shell to change its mind. We call on anyone out there in the internet world to write, call, fax and generally voice loudly their opposition to Shell's plan to dump the rig in the Atlantic. This campaign is winnable. We need your help.
More as we continue our voyage,
The crew of the Altair