Green Peace ship 'Esperanza' anchors off Chennai coast

Chennai, July 16 (UNI) A Green Peace ship 'MY Esperanza,' on a year-long expedition, anchored off the Chennai coast today as part of an international campaign 'Defending our Oceans.' A flotilla of sailboats from the Tamil Nadu Sailing Association and activists from Green Peace, India welcomed the ship into Chennai port.

The ship reached here from the Mediterranean region, where it highlighted the disappearance of the bluefin tuna.

The 'Defending Our Oceans' voyage is the single largest expedition that Green Peace has ever undertaken, during which the ship will sail across four of the world's five oceans.

'Esperanza', which set sail in November 2005 from Cape Town in South Africa, is heading to the Southern Ocean to expose the slaughter of whales under the guise of scientific research, Green Peace activists said.

This incredible year-long journey would take Ocean Defenders to places few humans had been to, reminding them of the ecological sensitivity and beauty of the oceans, confronting the villains and promotion solutions, they added.

The aim of the mission was to sign up one million ocean defenders who would form the constituency for all future campaigns in defence of the oceans, the activists said.

In India, the Green Peace Oceans campaign was focusing on the marine biodiversity of the East Coast.

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