VZCZCXYZ0013
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHWL #0181/01 0582028
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 272028Z FEB 07
FM AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3934
INFO RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 4754
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 0617
RUEHDN/AMCONSUL SYDNEY 0510
RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHDC
RHMFIUU/HQ PACAF HICKAM AFB HI
RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/OSD WASHINGTON DC
RHHJJAA/JICPAC HONOLULU HI
RHHMUNA/USCINCPAC HONOLULU HI
RHMFISS/COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC

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