THE NISSHIN MARU: AN EXAMPLE OF U.S.-NEW ZEALAND

UNCLAS WELLINGTON 000181 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR EAP/ANP DRICCI, OES/OA EBLOOM AND MTOUSLEY STATE PASS TO NSF/USAP KARL ERB PACOM FOR JO1E/J2/J233/J5/SJFHQ NSC FOR VICTOR CHA SECDEF FOR OSD/ISD LIZ PHU E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PGOV EFIS SENV IWC AY NZ SUBJECT: THE NISSHIN MARU: AN EXAMPLE OF U.S.-NEW ZEALAND COOPERATION ¶1. (SBU) Summary: On February 15, a factory floor fire disabled the Japanese whaling vessel Nisshin Maru in the environmentally fragile Southern Ocean off the Antarctic coast. For eleven days, the stricken vessel remained in the vicinity of the U.S. McMurdo Station and New Zealand Scott Base in the Ross Sea region, about 100 nautical miles from the large Adelie penguin breeding colony at Cape Adare. Carrying considerable amounts of heavy fuel oil, the ship posed a catastrophic environmental threat. New Zealand's response was excellent and was further enhanced through close coordination with U.S. counterparts. This cooperation was made much easier by recent dialogue on maritime issues as well as our planning for the recent US-NZ Antarctic anniversary celebrations, both reflected in the "Matrix" process. It also suggests both sides could benefit by exploring ways, within the "Matrix" process, to expand joint planning for future maritime incidents. End Summary. Background -------------- ¶2. (SBU) On the morning of February 15, Minister for Conservation Chris Carter informed DCM Keegan that the engine room of the Japanese whaling vessel Nisshin Maru had caught fire. Carter said the vessel had issued a "May Day" call and GNZ expected the crew would abandon the vessel. ¶3. (SBU) According to GNZ, the Nisshin Maru is a factory whaling ship operated by the Institute of Cet Ocean Research (I.C.R.) of Japan and flagged in Japan. At the time of the fire, the Nisshin Maru was 265 nautical miles north, northeast of the U.S. McMurdo Station and New Zealand Scott Base at the edge of the Ross Sea. Its position at 73.38S; 175.56E put it within New Zealand's search and rescue area of international waters. This position also meant that the Nisshin Maru was about 100 nautical miles from Cape Adare, the site of a breeding colony of 250,000 pairs of Adelie penguins. ¶4. (SBU) Initial information suggested that one of the crew members was killed in the fire, 120 crew members had evacuated to three accompanying vessels in the Japanese whaling fleet, and twenty others remained on board the Nisshin Maru to fight the fire. The accompanying vessels were understood to be incapable of towing the Nisshin Maru, and the nearest capable vessel was an Australian tug-boat located three days away. Minister Carter told the DCM that Maritime New Zealand had contacted both McMurdo Station and Scott Base to coordinate possible fire assistance to the Nisshin Maru. ¶5. (SBU) Owing in large part to a language barrier, the initial reports New Zealand's Rescue Coordination Center (RCCNZ) received had only limited technical information about the actual type of damage sustained by the ship, the extent of the damage, or kind of repairs being made. RCCNZ understood from the ship's master that fire damage was isolated to the factory deck, below the bridge and above the engine room. The master reported that the hull was structurally sound and that there was no immediate risk of oil pollution as a result of the fire. However, given the position of the ship in Antarctic waters, with icebergs and pack ice in abundance, GNZ remained particularly concerned about other risks, including possible structural damage from impact with ice. ¶6. (SBU) With the assistance of a Japanese interpreter who later assisted the RCCNZ, GNZ officials determined that two types of heavy fuel oil were on board the Nisshin Maru in quantities sufficient to pose a threat to the environment. As the fire fighting efforts continued, the Nisshin Maru was rafted between two of its accompanying vessels, the Oriental Bluebird and the Yushin Maru 2, at a new position 280 nautical miles north, northeast of McMurdo Station, after which the vessel canceled its distress call. ¶7. (SBU) During efforts to suppress the fire, accumulated fire fighting water had caused the ship to list slightly, but portable pumps corrected the problem. The weather in the Antarctic remained calm, although NZ authorities remained concerned that a sudden deterioration in the weather conditions might soon cause the ship to founder. Based on the limited information received from the Japanese whaling fleet, the GNZ feared an environmental catastrophe could unfold if the Nisshin Maru were to become further compromised. Request for U.S. assistance -------------- ¶8. (SBU) From the initial stages of the crisis and throughout the next 11 days, the RCCNZ shared its situation reports immediately with Embassy Science (ESTH) Officer Tod Duran, who distributed them to the State Department, Coast Guard, US Antarctic Program/NSF, and PACOM. On the morning of February 16, the Embassy received a Diplomatic Note from MFAT requesting that a U.S. Antarctic Program C-130 fly over and photograph the vessel. In coordination with EAP/ANP and OES, the Embassy received National Science Foundation and Department agreement to the request. ¶9. (SBU) Later in the afternoon, GNZ officials reported cloud cover to 1,000 feet, making a flyover impractical for obtaining photos over the following 24 hours. PACOM and OES Deputy Director Evan Bloom informed the Embassy that the U.S. Coast Guard Ship (USCGS) Polar Sea was lingering in the area, having completed its annual icebreaking operations in McMurdo Sound. Embassy officials contacted the Environment Division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) and inquired whether they planned to ask that the Polar Sea photograph the Nisshin Maru. MFAT said yes, and delivered a second DipNote with that request. After speaking with ESTH officer Duran, State Department-based U.S. Coast Guard liaison Mike Tousley fast-tracked the request to PACOM, which diverted the Polar Sea to the Nisshin Maru for photo reconnaissance. ¶10. (SBU) On February 17, the Polar Sea obtained photos of the Nisshin Maru, sharing them with USAP officials, who forwarded them to New Zealand's Scott Base and other GNZ interests. Antarctic New Zealand officials expressed thanks for the photos which satisfied Zealand's request for a photo assessment. Embassy Science Officer and DATT Capt. Ricardo Martinez confirmed with MFAT that GNZ was satisfied with the photo record, and that the use of the C-130 would be redundant. NSF then canceled the mission. On February 22, Ambassador McCormick called Minister Carter to reaffirm personally the importance we attached to U.S. assistance to New Zealand in responding to this maritime incident. ¶11. (SBU) Despite GNZ's strong anti-whaling position, its offers of assistance to the Japanese vessel were delivered without reference to the ship's activities. (NB: On February 16, however, Minister Carter issued a public statement regretting that the vessel had declined help from the Greenpeace anti-whaling ship The Esperanza, which was also in the area. End NB.) When the engineers of the Nisshin Maru were able to restart its engine on February 25 so it could steam north under its own power, Maritime New Zealand commended the engineers for their effort. The RCCNZ issued its last SitRep at 4:30 p.m. on February 25. At that time, the Nisshin Maru was 200 nautical miles from the scene of the incident. As of 4 p.m. on February 26, it was located some 360 nautical miles away. Comment: -------------- ¶12. (SBU) Although we have worked closely with New Zealand in Antarctica for 50 years, the level of US-NZ cooperation used to address this incident was truly exceptional. Both sides' recent renewed focus on reinvigorating overall bilateral ties, coupled with efforts to strengthen our dialogue on maritime security issues, greatly improved our ability to be "joined up" as we responded to fast moving events well-removed from either country's shores. USG-GNZ planning for the January 2007 celebrations in honor of the 50th anniversary of US-NZ cooperation on the ice, together with Post's increased attention to environment and science issues, also helped us know the right players to get together. This and other interactions, reflected in the "Matrix" process, have strengthened our ability to plan jointly. We should continue to improve our planning for future incidents. Although the "Nisshin Maru" accident ended without an impact on the environment, we may not be so lucky next time. Keegan