Shell says Solitaire to leave Irish waters today
mayo |
environment |
feature
Thursday September 18, 2008 18:19
by tyrone fan
In the last hour Shell has announced that the Solitaire pipe laying ship is to depart from Irish territorial waters and go to a British port for repair and assessment.
The company has always claimed that it was not responding to pressure from protests against its plan to install an offshore section of production pipeline without any planning permission for the onshore section.
Maura Harrington, who is on hunger strike at the Shell compound at Glengad beach, has yet to make a statement, but it is hoped that if the company claim is true, and the ship leaves, then she will end or suspend her protest.
Update: Maura Harrington officially came off her hunger-strike and made the statement as published in the comments.
Full Shell statement:
Shell E&P Ireland Limited can confirm that the Solitaire will leave Killybegs today for a UK Port where deep water berthing facilities are available.
The vessel will remain in port while a further assessment of factors including operational, technical and weather issues will be completed. Once this is done, a further statement about the 2008 offshore development programme will be made. This programme still requires a suitable weather window for successful completion.
Separately, a special diving support vessel is being deployed to Broadhaven Bay tomorrow to assist in the salvage of the 12 metres long, 80 tonnes section of the Solitaire's pipe laying equipment. This piece of equipment, which became detached from the vessel last Wednesday (September 10th), is currently lying on the seabed in Broadhaven Bay, Co Mayo and will be removed and disposed of for safety and environmental reasons.
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Jump To Comment: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55Congratulations to Maura and everyone who had any part however large or small in making this happen.
We wish no harm to the Solitaire's crew and hope they have a safe passage to the scrapyard.
Solas
Terry
Great news ... and nice to see Shell doing something "for safety and environmental reasons"! The start of a new trend for them in Mayo perhaps ...
Maura Harrington is a woman of strong principles unlike our elected politicians. I contacted Fine Gael and Fianna Fail politicions, in the Mayo area a Fianna Fail politicion in Ballina informed me he would not intervene, or enter into any negotiaction on Mauras behalf.
I spoke to the wife of an aspiring leader of our country on the fine gael side who asked me what her husband could do as this man may wish to lead the country i think HE should have some ideas I made the point to all those people that Maura was not convicted of any crime Ialso pointed out that in the eighties in Ireland men who were on hunger strike and convicted of crimes had negotiations carried out on their behalf at the highest Government levels in Ireland and England People of Mayo you are voting into the Dail people who will not negotiate on the behalf of an innocent lady who is on hunger strike
Politicians are in fact public servants, servants of the public. They were not elected to become modern day landlords . Some of them didn't know that when they first walked on the blue carpet. Perhaps they should lift it and replace it with green. It might remind them of the land and the people they were elected to represent.
Some of our politicians are slow learners but there are many teachers among us.
With time and patience the mouse cut the cable (as Jer Mike used to say)
According to Dublin's Herald newspaper (and no other source that I can find) four people were arrested in Mayo this morning.
Four people have been arrested in Mayo in relation to an incident involving Shell to Sea campaigners at the weekend.
The disturbance took place during a cavalcade of cars in support of Maura Harrington on Sunday afternoon.
Ms Harrington is currently on the 11th day of a hunger strike against the pipe laying work due to be carried out for Shell's Corrib project.
The four men were arrested early this morning, and are being held in Garda Stations in Belmullet, Swinford, Castlebar and Ballina.
http://www.herald.ie/breaking-news/national-news/four-a....html
Best wishes to Maura & Shell to Sea, & hope she recovers quickly. What devotion & willpower - Maura for Taoiseach!
Unofficial, unpaid and largely unappreciated, within our shores work the Real Environmental Protection agency. Their numbers are increasing daily and one could meet them in any walk of life.
Image failed to load last post!
Danu and Goliath again
Has Maura given a statement? Has she broken the Strike yet?
German weekly Magazine "Der Spiegel" has contacted me and are going to do their investigations into the Corrib situations!
Shell Germany giving no comment on the situation.
Mags in Germany
Good news and well done to all involved.
Maura your courage, determination and passion is an example to us all.
South Derry
Name:Solitaire
MMSI:351597000 [PA]
IMO:7129049
Callsign:3ECI8
Speed/Dir:10.3 kts / 80° E
Status:Underway
Dest:Clyde Port ETA:Sep19 13:00 Type:Cargo (70) Size:300m x 40m x 14.1m Received:10:39:35 19 Sep 08 BS
Source credit: www.aisliverpool.co.uk
Just got these fixes on the Solitaire's (reasonably) current position and intended arrival time in Glasgow Port. Pressures of time mean I can't add any markers to make your search for that infernal ship any easier; my apologies. Maura Harrington will be making a public statement later this afternoon. There are so many people here and around Ireland and the world who deserve a lorry-load of thanks, so thank you all! - we have both victory and hopefully (likely) a hale Maura today - and nothing else could be sweeter!
One downer point though - the Gardaí arrested 'the Chief', Pat O'Donnell and another local man earlier this morning. These arrests, along with four others yesterday, are part of a Garda 'investigation' into who organised the support motor rally for Maura Harrington last Sunday. Rallies of this type happen up and down the country without a peep from the cops; it just shows how clueless and how petty they are towards the Shell to Sea campaign. All I can surmise is that Shell, the government and the Gardaí are taking their beating with the worst of grace.
Solitaire's position as of about 10:40am!
Solitaire's intended docking time in Glasgow
Go maire sibh uilig i Rós Poirt. Hearty congratulations to the brave and noble people of the Erris peninsula and their friends and comrades throughout the world.
Every success in your continued efforts and best wishes for a speedy recovery to the people's champion - Maura Harrington!
See you down there soon.
I see the Shell agents have resorted to pathetic personal insults.
So read the text from camp regarding ending of Mauras strike
Well done to all, Thankyou all, I hope Maura is well after what im sure were very difficult days.
you are all legends.
Thanks and regards from barcelona
Relieved to read the news about the Solitaire! Congrats to all s2s campaigners and their friends, especially to Maura & the campaigners in Erris!
You can stand her up at the gates of shell but she wont back down hey maura your the best about.
Well done maura your an Irish ledgend
Sources in the know say the solitaire is being repaired as we speak and could potentially be back in Rossport by Monday morning due to the spell of clear weather.
Several people on indymedia Scotland are tracking the Solitaire going up the Clyde and will be checking where it docks.
Thank God Maura is OK. The problem with appealing to a man's better nature is, he may not have one!
Let's keep this impetus going for the campaign to send Shell out to sea. Best wishes to all, be with ye soon.
The following is a statement from Maura Harrington who has spent 11 days on hunger strike in Mayo and from Cork Shell to Sea.
STATEMENT FROM MAURA HARRINGTON TO THE PRESS AND TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC
FOR RELEASE AT 15:00, FRIDAY 19TH SEPTEMBER 2008
I thank Divine Grace and the support of decent people everywhere that the Solitaire has left Irish territorial waters.
The courage of 'the Chief', Pat O'Donnell and his son Jonathan, who fought to uphold their rights at sea, and the tenacity of local people, together with national and international support, in their quest for justice is a testament to what is best in all of us.
Local people have borne the brunt of Shell's arrogance and Government neglect for the past eight years. Yet Corrib remains a national issue because the Government continues to put the profits of Shell before the needs of the Irish people. Any alternative location for the Corrib Gas infrastructure will not build new schools, new hospitals or contribute to the National Pension Fund. Until we the People benefit from what is rightfully ours, any attempt to extricate Shell and the Government from the mess that is Corrib remains doomed to failure.
It is fitting that the latest episode in the Corrib debacle should occur on the anniversary (by day and date) of the landslides which devastated Glengad and the wider Dooncarton area in 2003. If Shell is capable of any rationality, now is the time for them to accept that they will never put a pipeline through Glengad.
I believe that the Shell to Sea campaign gives hope to all who strive for an Ireland that cherishes all its people equally and upholds values that don't carry a price tag.
STATEMENT ENDS.
STATEMENT FROM CORK SHELL TO SEA
We are relieved that this grave situation has come to an end and we congratulate Maura for her courage and strength and all those in Mayo, around the country and from further afield who have contributed.
However our work is far from over, we will now step the campaign up a gear. In this time of economic doom and gloom we should be talking about reclaiming our natural resources and nationalising the gas. We will also continue to stand in solidarity with the community in North Mayo in demanding that there be no refinery in Ballinaboy, no landfall in Glengad and no pipe line in Rossport. This gas must be processed offshore.
For any more information or interviews please call Tracey Ryan 087 3158225
From the shipping map it looks like the Solitaire has anchored mid-channel north of Largs. It will take me two or three hours to get down there to confirm this.
TIMES: Shell to Sea campaigner ends hunger strike (15:57)
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2008/0919/...6.htm
RTE: Mayo woman ends hunger strike (16:49)
http://www.rte.ie/news/2008/0919/corrib.html
Great news. Hopefully Solitaire will not be back. Congratulations to Maura Harrington for taking such a courageous stand.
The very word hunger strike evokes sad memories from the 1981 hunger strike in which ten men died. Sorry for straying of the subject but I find it hard to ignore the comments made by Marlyn in the post above. Its great that Marlyn is taking an interest in the protest against the Corrib gas pipe line. It’s a terrible pity though that she/he did not have a better understanding of the 1981 Hunger Strike.
Marlyn makes a comparison between Maura Harrington’s hunger strike and the one in the ‘eighties’ Marlyn‘s words……‘Maura was not convicted of any crime Ialso pointed out that in the eighties in Ireland men who were on hunger strike and convicted of crimes had negotiations carried out on their behalf at the highest Government levels in Ireland and England ‘
The whole point of the 1981 Hunger Strike was that the British Government grant the republican prisoners in the Maze prison their five demands that would give them political status. The prisoners where not common criminals. Margaret Thatcher insisted that they where and forced them into a situation in which the only outcome would be a fast to the death. Who said they where criminals, Margaret Thatcher ?. Oh yeh, I remember her speech……’A crime is a crime, is a crime, its not political, it’s a crime’ Tony Benn, the Labour politician was quick to reply to her. He said that ’The original crime was the English conquest of Ireland’ The proof that the Hunger Strikers where not criminals came after their deaths. Unfortunately it took the lives of ten courageous men to get the recognition they deserved. Eventually they got Political status. In the end even the British Government recognised that the prisoners where POW’s. and not criminals as stated by Marlyn.
When I think of crime I think of England. The great British Empire was built on some of the most heinous crimes known to man. They’ve done it all in the name of the crown, murder, rape, pillage and even genocide. Unfortunately some people get swept along with Britain’s deceitful version of history.
I can confirm that the Solitaire is anchored about 2 or 3 miles north of Largs nearer to the top of Bute. About a mile south of Largs is the deep sea port of Hunterston, but it doesn't look as if there are many facilities for doing repairs. The Solitaire was sailing up the Clyde when a previous poster said that it was being repaired. If the Indymedia Ireland editor who has the same name as a Russian playwright e-mails me he will be able to check who I am (eireann@j12.org) and that what I am saying is correct.
Great news that Maura has ended her hunger strike. Hope she soon gains her strength. Her friend Mary in London is an inspiration to us here for all she has done to help end Maura's fast with vigils, protests and negotiations at the highest level.
Best wishes Maura humbled by your heroism.
Solidarity with all those busted and facing the courts.
Is there anywhere to make a direct donation specifically to defray costs of those facing fines/jail time
(rather then the general campaign)?
As the Irish Times point out this statement, while welcome, also includes clear criticism of Pobail Chill Chomain and Pobail Le Cheile - which includes former S2S and R5 members.
"clear criticism of Pobail Chill Chomain and Pobail Le Cheile - which includes former S2S and R5 members."
This campaign like all campaigns involves people with various positions eg
-Shell go for it, do what you will
-Shell to a town down the road
-Shell to Sea
-Shell to Hell
There will be criticisms of people's political positions. And on occasions people holding the same positions critical of the tactics employed by those holding the same position. There is no rational reason why these criticisms to be taken personally. there are people of integrity holding all the positions listed above.
The statement is critical of the compromise position, not necessarily of the people as people holding it.. That would be quite juvenile, would it not?
Tréaslaím do Mháire (agus bíodh biseach iomlán uirthi!) a seasamh misniúil ar son na cóire agus as an mbua éactach seo. Agus mo náire go deo tost mheáin chumarsáide (?) as muintir na hÉireann as choinneáil dall ar an scéal rí-thábhachtach seo. Murach Indymedia agus shelltosea.com tharla séi nganfhios dúinn. Mór an náire iompar brúidiúil na nGardaí (searbhóntaí an phobail, mar dhea) ar an an láthair! Mór an náire an chlann a dhíol a máthair (agus acmhainní fuinnimhe Pholl na Coiribe lena chois sin)! Go mba fada buan dea-thothaí íbirtí mhuintir Iorrais1 Gach rath ar an obair! Beir Bua!
Aljazeera reports that MEND have struck a decisive blow against SHell Nigeria, using their own tactics. Well done all!!
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2008/09/200891....html
Sunday Independent Report(?)
Congratulations Shell 2 Sea, judging by the Sunday Independent (mouth piece of corporate Ireland) report, the elites must be running scared of public opinion. They are using the usual “scary republicans”, need the gas (providence oil maybe)….
Enjoy this black propaganda that passes for “objective jouralism”
http://www.independent.ie/opinion/analysis/a-plea-for-c....html
What -no mention of a certain newspaper proprietor and his relationship with certain big energy companies? Was ever a newspaper worse named than the independent?
The Observer is owned by the Guardian Media group, which is run by a (really) independent trust.
Here is their take on the week's events:
Hunger strike hero celebrates victory over Shell pipeline
School principal who missed her birthday and retirement parties says she's happy it's over
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/sep/21/ireland.roy...shell
I have been writing to the Guardian's Enviornmental Journalists (UK) on and off for the past eighteen months, asking them why they are not giving this potential Enviornmental disaster any coverage.
They have never shown any interest until now, Maura's hunger strike no doubt catching their attention. The article is very good but I wonder if it only appeared in the Irish edition of the Observer. The campaign could do with publicity in the UK. The UK Guardian did do a short
story on Maura last week before she ended her hunger strike.
The Guardian cover enviornmental issues from all over the world and I can't help but wonder why this news-worthy story on their doorstep is not of interest to them.
Within the last year they did a full page on the top man in Shell who lives somewhere in Scandanavia. I never finished the article but the jist was complimentary to its subject, I had to
put it down when I read how this man cycled to work every morning. No doubt this was down to
his concern for the enviornment. In short I question the independence of the Guardian.
We need people like Maura Harrington and Pat O'Donnell working in the Media and in Government. People who are not motivated by self-interest and greed and are not open to bribery and corruption, and have the courage to stand up for what is just and fair.
big story in the Guardian from 2004 http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2004/may/29/environme...nment
and an update from last year
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2007/mar/07/energy.en...nment
Thank you for the Guardian articles. I was aware of the 2004 article but not of the 2007.
In my opinion it is still inadequate; why the silence between 2004 and 2007 and then until now.
Surely there would have been some good follow-up stories. Enviornmental issues have been fairly topical these past few years and this issue is closer than those in Poland or Russia.
Regardless of geography, the enviornmental crime that could happen in NW Mayo is of global concern. There is only so much our weary planet will take before it will give up on us.
So... you would think this would make interesting reading, at least more than three artiicles in
five years.
Doesn't Shell buy advertising in the Guardian?
Just to confirm the Solitaire was docked off the east coast of Bute on Monday. On previous days it was seen loading pipes. It is not in any of the deep sea ports nearby. Hope this is of help.
Good luck with the campaign!
Loading pipe? Are you sure it wasn't taking them off?
The dredging boats are back in Broadhaven Bay. This morning the 3 dredging boats - the backhoe dredger the Zenne (jackup barge), the split-hopper barge Vlaanderen VII, and the trailing suction hopper dredger “Mellina” arrived back in the bay from off Ballyglass pier where they were moored. The excavator on the Zenne has just begun digging and depositing material on the Vlaanderen.
7 support boats are also around the dredging work.
Thank you for the Guardian articles. I was aware of the 2004 article but not of the 2007.
In my opinion it is still inadequate; why the silence between 2004 and 2007 and then until now.
Surely there would have been some good follow-up stories. Enviornmental issues have been fairly topical these past few years and this issue is closer than those in Poland or Russia.
Regardless of geography, the enviornmental crime that could happen in NW Mayo is of global concern. There is only so much our weary planet will take before it will give up on us.
So... you would think this would make interesting reading, at least more than three artiicles in
five years.
I dunno about the Guardian but fwiw Channel 4 were set upon by Shell lawyers when they attempted to report the issue a few years ago. C4 did broadcast a piece at the time but it was a pale shadow of what was originally intended. Subsequently they dropped the story entirely.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/sep/21/ireland.roy...shell
is a 1+1/2 page article that was in last Sunday's Observer. I just found it today after giving the paper a quick perusal in the car coming down from there. It originally came with a large photo of Maura hugging one of the women on the road where her car had been. Not sure who took that since I don't think anybody was pointed out to me as an Observer photographer.
I find the reappearance of the dredging boats pretty worrying. Is it too late to have a mass call out for next Saturday? Do the 'authorities' think that nobody will protest this now that Maura's stopped the hunger strike?
Anyway it would be a good incentive to try to keep the momentum of the campaign going now that the immediate crisis has been at least delayed. Hate to see the momentum dissipate again as it has been allowed to several times over the last few years.
Also hoping that people are trying to get information tables into National Universities now that the students are back. The more people aware of this as an ongoing situation the better.
As far as I see it the return of the gaspipe work will remain forever imminent until it is stopped completely. Whether the interval is very short term as in days or weeks or slightly longer as in months doesn't make that great a difference does it? Just hoping we as a national & international movement remain vigilant of it. Just because it's stopped temporarily at any one time doesn't mean its gone away.
Could we please have regular updates of any work going on in the bay, and which vessels are involved.
Thanks all
The dredging work is continuing into the night after going on all day.
Still not clear exactly what the story is but the Zenne and Mellina are still dredging along where the pipe is due to be laid. They look set to work through the night.
People should be on alert although we've been told that the Solitaire was still in Scotland today.
Thanks Rudiger a very worrying development I think. Anyone whos been at the camp recently should think about returning if they can, and anyone who feels they missed out on all the fun, it may not be over yet...
3 years ago, that same boat came around our shores and the GREAT AND BRAVE ERRIS fISHERMEN BLOCKCADDED it and it left. lt was then that shell didn't want to pay the soilitaire, the contract fee and tried to limp out of the contract and just paid 6 million instead 31 and the swiss owners took them to court in the Hauge for the remaining 25 million. They won an recovered their fee. Now here's the Question? Did the Soilitaire receive their 30 million up frount this time and screw shell like $H£LL does to every where they go. Sure they throw a few crumbs about and don't forget Loftus 1 million fee to draw from. NEVER forget that shell has used our own Navey and Garda for what extent $£? Who's in charge shell? Lets never take shells word that it safe, They will never tell us the real story or the dangers, just that it's probaly safe and that it might not pollute or cause serrious damage to our envioment. KEEP up the great pressure on $H£LL instead of shell s high pressure on the community, Good going everybody..
The lorries have been taking the gas pipes back off the pier in Killybegs all morning. Looks like the pipe laying plans have been put off for a considerable time :->
just to keep you updated the soltaire is still at anchor in the middle of the clyde with no sign of moving.
Just been informed by a very reliable source who works within the Clyde Port Authority that the Solitaire is leaving its position on the Clyde on Sunday morning. Destination unknown at this point...
Have good information from the killybegs harbour master, solitaire is expected to port within the coming month. course this depends on the stinger repair...
The Boa Fortune, the big red supply ship for the solitaire, is currently anchored next to the sol on the Clyde. Maybe unloading pipe? Watch this space.
Just watching the Solitare on www.aisliverpool.co.uk and it looks as though it is being serviced by a supply vessell? The supply vessell 'Boa Fortune' was previously contracted to Shell UK. take a look at this link
http://www.boa.no/Default.aspx?ID=54. I know for sure that this supply vessell was not there as of a few days ago? And it looks like it started work with ALLSEAS the day the Solitare came to broadhaven bay.
Judging by the last post i think we need to watch this space.
It seems as though another vessell the Carron (tug) and barge are at the Solitare as of this morning.
http://clydesights.com/2008/09/tug-carron-and-barge.html
Looks as though there is fresh activity surrounding the solitare. Hopefully decomissioning it for a while, though considering the renewed activity in Glengad i think we need to be vigilant here.
Sinbad Marine are the contractors up in Killybegs for the supply boats etc... is there any info from them?
I took a trip on the Rothesay ferry to try and get a closer look this afternoon, but unfortunately I could not get a camera before I left. You can see the tug and barge already mentioned from Bute. There is another tug on the other side of the ship and possibly another barge. I wasn't close enough to see any pipes and the tall crane was not in operation when I was there (3-6pm). Again wasn't close enough to have a good look at the stinger to see if any repairs have been carried out, but it did look slightly shorter than on some of the photographs I've seen. Does anyone know what part of the stinger broke off? It did seem to end in a square rather than narrowing before the end. Sorry if this is not much use.
The Boa Fortune was a few hundred yards away, too far to be offloading or uploading pipes. I think the Boa Fortune might be the Havila favour using a newer name (see Clyde Sights website) .
Shell haven't given up yet, they will be back and be assured that a few people in blow-up crocodiles will not deter them, look at the way they have behaved in the Niger delta, in Rivers and Delta states of Nigeria and just about everywhere else. I admire Maura fore her determination, but she or someone like her will have to be prepared to stick with it to the end.