Sea Shepherd Retires High-Speed Trimaran, Brigitte Bardot
Published by Sea Shepherd Conservation Society
Puerto Vallarta, Mexico – June 19, 2021 – After 11 years of protecting marine wildlife across the globe, Sea Shepherd is retiring the motor vessel Brigitte Bardot from operations. The 109-foot twin-engine trimaran has been sold to a private individual and is no longer part of the international Sea Shepherd fleet.
As Sea Shepherd expands its operations and continues to work in partnership with governments around the world, the Brigitte Bardot no longer meets the requirements necessary to participate effectively in upcoming operations.
The Brigitte Bardot has a long and celebrated history and has played a central role in numerous Sea Shepherd campaigns.
In July 1978, the vessel circumnavigated the world in 74 days, 20 hours, and 58 minutes, travel-ing over 22,600 nautical miles and setting a Guinness World Record. It has since circumnavi-gated the world six times.
Sea Shepherd acquired the ship in 2010 and named it Gojira (Japanese for Godzilla). It em-barked on its first campaign – Operation No Compromise – in pursuit of illegal Japanese whaling factory ships in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary. The vessel set another world record on this campaign, traveling further south than any multihull yacht in history.
In 2011, the ship was renamed in honor of long-time Sea Shepherd supporter, actor, and animal rights activist, Brigitte Bardot.
Since its initial campaign, the Brigitte Bardot and its crew have defended pilot whales in the Faroe Islands on Operations Ferocious Isles and Sleppid Grindini, protected whales in the South-ern Ocean on Operations Divine Wind and Zero Tolerance, and saved marine wildlife in the Mediterranean Sea on Operations Mare Nostrum, Siracusa, and Bluefin. They have guarded endangered sea turtles and their eggs on Operation Jairo Caribbean and have monitored the rich waters of the Eastern Tropical Pacific on Operation Treasured Islands.
While no longer an active part of the fleet, the Brigitte Bardot remains a significant ship in Sea Shepherd history and will be fondly remembered by our captains, crews, and supporters worldwide.
Read the full article at: https://seashepherd.org/2021/06/20/sea-shepherd-retires-high-speed-trimaran-brigitte-bardot/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=sea-shepherd-retires-high-speed-trimaran-brigitte-bardot
