Anti-whaling ship can remain Dutch
27-11-2009
The Netherlands has no plans to remove the Dutch flag from the ship Steve Irwin operated by the anti-whaling group Sea Shepherd, junior transport minister Tineke Huizinga told MPs on Friday, news agency ANP reports.
Japan had complained to the Netherlands after several violent confrontations between the Steve Irwin and Japanese whalers in February in which both sides reportedly rammed the other's ships.
Research by the shipping inspectorate showed both sides had broken international sea rules, the minister said.
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