Mon. 8th Sept. - Solitaire Boarded in Daring Shell to Sea Fleet Action!

mayo | environment | news report Monday September 08, 2008 17:45 by FSB! et al. - RSC

Shell to Sea’s determination to resist emphasised by returning to Killybegs.

Shell’s contracted pipe-laying ship the Solitaire and its support vessels were informed today of S2S’ intent to resist its operations in Broadhaven Bay. The Solitaire was technically boarded for a short time by S2S activists, the Irish tricolour unfurled aboard it, and letters of request and intent were delivered to the captains of the Solitaire and its supply vessels, as well as to the harbourmaster at Killybegs docks. The letters’ contents requested the Solitaire and its associated vessels to cease preparations for the pipe-laying operation in Broadhaven Bay, and to cease participation in the unsafe, unwanted and illegal Corrib Gas project. The letter delivered to the harbourmaster requested that he stop providing services to Shell’s contracted vessels in his port.

Today about lunchtime a flotilla of the Shell to Sea Fleet deployed in Killybegs harbour in Co. Donegal, and went into action once again to confront the pipe-laying vessel the Solitaire and its associated supply vessels. They travelled there to re-iterate the S2S campaign’s intent to resist the laying of the offshore section of pipeline from the proposed landfall at Glengad to the wellhead of the Corrib gas field. Three S2S marine activists managed to board the Solitaire’s crew ladder/gangway, but were soon confronted with shipboard security, which halted further S2S progress. The Irish flag was briefly unfurled on board the Solitaire by the intrepid S2S party. The S2S letter of request and intent was relayed to the Solitaire’s captain via a crew member.

Later in the afternoon, the S2S Flotilla paddled out to the supply vessels to deliver similarly-worded letters to their captains. These were received by the ships by means of a bucket on a rope dropped from the deck of each ship via winch. Permission to board ship was denied in both cases.

The letters informed the captains of the community’s and the campaign’s intent to resist the pipe laying in Broadhaven Bay, and also requested the captains of the Solitaire and its support vessels to cease participation in the Corrib gas project. The letters were relayed by crewmen to the captains of the vessels in each instance.

After delivery of the letters, the Shell to Sea Flotilla then circled both supply ships and carried out practice manoeuvres while awaiting confirmation of receipt of the letters by the ships’ captains.

Receipt of the letters by the captains was confirmed before Shell to Sea Fleet returned to docks.

Vessels involved in today’s actions (PV – Paddle Vessel):

Vessels that took part in both actions
Irish Flotilla – Shamrock Squadron
PV James Connolly
PV Jim Larkin
PV Michael Collins (?!)

International Flotilla - Liberty Squadron
PV Geronimo

Vessels that took part in the latter action, and supported the first action
Irish Flotilla – Mayo Squadron
PV Luke Kelly
PV Phil Lynott

International Flotilla - Freedom Squadron
PV Twm-Sion Cati
PV William Wallace

Similar letters of request and intent were delivered to the harbourmaster at Killybegs, whose docks provide key logistical support for the provisioning and repair of Shell’s contracted pipe-laying vessels. This was carried out by the Shell to Sea Fleet on land this evening, in a separate operation following the Solitaire action.

All in all, today’s action was a stunning success by the increasingly audacious Shell to Sea Fleet!

A curious point to note from today’s action was the absence of Gardaí on the dockside at Killybegs at the start of the action. It may be that Shell to Sea Fleet caught Shell’s minions unawares, but even if not their absence was refreshing. Later reports from the scene say that a significant Garda presence arrived on the docks at Killybegs, after quite some delay!

Meanwhile, at the Glengad compound there were deployed three Garda vans, with a total of eight cops visible. This complement of Shell auxiliaries has been there all morning and much of the afternoon. We’ll keep giving Shell and their volunteer state muscle the run-around until this destructive and exploitative project is stopped!

Photos of today’s actions to follow as soon as the Shell to Sea Fleet Flotilla returns to Rossport Solidarity Camp.

More details of today's actions etc. as news comes in.