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 MVGojira docked in Hobart harbour, 2010 | |
| History | |
|---|---|
| Name |
|
| Owner | Sea Shepherd Conservation Society (2010–2021) |
| Port of registry | Fremantle, Australia |
| Builder | Vosper Thornycroft |
| Launched | 16 March 1998 |
| Identification |
|
| Fate | Sold to private owner |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type | DNV Yacht R0 |
| Type | Trimaran |
| Displacement | 41 ton |
| Length | 114.5 ft (34.9 m) |
| Beam | 46.2 ft (14.1 m) |
| Draught | 4.4 ft (1.3 m) |
| Propulsion | 2 x 370 kW (500 hp) QSC Cummins Mercruiser |
| Speed |
|
| Range | 3,500 nautical miles (6,482 km) |
| Capacity | 16,000 litres |
| Crew | 12 to 16 |
Merida (formerlyMVBrigitte Bardot,MVGojira,Rat Race Media Adventurer,Ocean 7 Adventurer andCable and Wireless Adventurer) is a high-tech 35 m (115 ft) trimaran twin diesel engine powered vessel designed byNigel Irens. Construction of the vessel began in June 1997 and she was launched on 16 March 1998. The official naming ceremony took place on 3 April 1998 in London's West India Dock. In 2021, the vessel was sold to a private owner.
Originally namedCable and Wireless Adventurer, she was built for the purpose of circumnavigating the world in less than 80 days. This was successfully accomplished in July 1998 in 74 days, 20 hours, 58 minutes, traveling more than 22,600 nautical miles (41,855 km). This achievement set a newGuinness World Record for a powered vessel. However, on 27 June 2008Earthrace (later renamedAdy Gil), thebiodiesel powered wave-piercing trimaran, set a new world record when it docked at the Vulkan shipyard in Sagunto, Spain after completing a circumnavigation in just 60 days 23 hours and 49 minutes. Both records are longer than the 60 days, 21 hours claimed by the US Navy'sUSS Triton nuclear-powered submarine duringOperation Sandblast in 1960[2] and thecurrent record by a sailing boat (2017) of 40 days.[3]
The design of the vessel was evaluated and proven by hydrodynamic tank testing, and a 21.3 m (70 ft) scale prototype named theiLAN Voyager completed sea trials to demonstrate the advantages of the concept.[citation needed]
The vessel is equipped with state-of-the-art navigation and communications equipment.[citation needed]
In 2007 the vessel was acquired by Ocean 7, aCape Town based marine brokerage and charter operation. The vessel was recommissioned and transferred to a mooring at theV&A Waterfront, Cape Town. The vessel was available for charter, film work and the occasional marine rescue operation.[citation needed]
In December 2007Ocean 7 Adventurer was chartered to retrieve a demasted yacht,IMOCA 60Delta Dore from theSouthern Ocean.Delta Dore was partaking in the Barcelona World Race. The yacht skippered by Jérémie Beyou and Sidney Gavignet was at position 47°00 S 033° 25 E, nearly a thousand miles south east fromSouth Africa, drifting slowly at between 1 and 2 kn (2 and 4 km/h) east. An hour after the mast had collapsed backwards, it had to be cut free and dumped into the ocean, as it was likely to damage the hull. The yacht had 188 L (41 imp gal) of diesel fuel on board, but this was insufficient to motor back to the mainland. The Ocean 7 team were approached with regard to salvaging the yacht. Skippered by co-owner David de Villiers,Ocean 7 Adventurer set sail for theSouthern Ocean and after locating the yacht, she was taken in tow with a 200 m (656 ft) line. This rescue set a record for the longest tow in South African maritime history (850 nmi (1,574 km)).[citation needed]
During early June 2008Ocean 7 Adventurer moved to the east coast of South Africa to observe the annual sardine run, after which it relocated to the southern end of Madagascar in July in search of waves amongst the reefs where the vessel was used as a live-aboard base for surfers and kite surfers. During SeptemberOcean 7 Adventurer explored the Baron Islands off the Madagascar coast before returning to her base at the V&A Waterfront for the summer season, where she was available for day charters, specialised trips and functions.[citation needed]
In 2008 she was repainted in Rat Race Media graphics and was the star of a TV series on kykNET,Aqua X. The series started in October 2008 and aired until January 2009.[citation needed]
In November 2009Ocean 7 Adventurer was chartered by the Cipla Miles for Smiles Foundation to be the support vessel during leg one of the Miles for Smiles Madagascar Challenge which consisted of David Grier paddling some 550 km (342 mi) from Nacala Mozambique to Cap St Andre in Madagascar.[4] Before setting out to seaOcean 7 Adventurer received a new look with the Miles for Smiles regalia.[citation needed]
TheSea Shepherd Conservation Society (SSCS) acquired the $4 million vessel for its 2010–11 campaign against Japanese whaling in the AntarcticSouthern Ocean Whale Sanctuary[5][6] and renamed her the MVGojira (named after theFrench heavy metal band who have supported the charity, which is derived from the Japanese name forGodzilla[7]). She was the first Australian-flagged vessel to be operated by the Sea Shepherd Society, and though slower, she is twice as large asMY Ady Gil,[8] making her more stable than the boat she replaced.Gojira successfully located the whaling factory vesselNisshin Maru in the Ross Sea during Sea Shepherd's Operation No Compromise, and broke a record for travelling farther south than any other multi-hulled yacht in history, at 76° 30' south latitude.[citation needed]
In May 2011 the SSCS was served with a notice fromToho Company Ltd., the copyright holder and owner of theGojira/Godzilla franchise, regarding the unauthorized use of the trademark. The Society promptly changed the vessel's name to the MVBrigitte Bardot in honor ofthe French fashion model, actress and singer whomPaul Watson, the founder of Sea Shepherd, took on an anti-sealing trip in 1977.[9] In addition to a new name, the vessel also received a new paint scheme; the overall black scheme was replaced by a grey coloration similar to that of a naval vessel.[citation needed]
The ship was damaged by arogue wave of 11 m (36.1 ft) whilepursuing the Japanese whaling fleet off the western coast of Australia on 28 December 2011.[10] The MVBrigitte Bardot was escorted back toFremantle by the SSCS flagship,MY Steve Irwin. The main hull was cracked and the port sidepontoon was being held together by straps. The vessel arrived at Fremantle Harbor on 5 January 2012. Both ships were followed by theICR security vesselMV Shōnan Maru 2 at a distance of 5 nautical miles (9 km).[11]
The repair process, with a cost of over $250,000, included placing the ship in a hermetically sealed chamber. Composite yacht experts from across the globe, including the ship's designer, were flown in to assess the damages and recommend a course of action. Sea Shepherd's 18 Australian chapters raised the money necessary to repair the vessel. Repairs to the MVBrigitte Bardot were completed and the ship set sail for sea trials on 16 April 2012.[12]
In September 2012, the MVBrigitte Bardot was expelled from Fiji by local naval and immigration officials.[13]
On 5 January 2013 inTimaru, New Zealand, a distress call was issued in relation to the MVBrigitte Bardot after an observer mistook the vessel for an overturned yacht. While several vessels nearby responded to the call, the MVBrigitte Bardot did not respond and instead turned away at high speed upon the arrival of a rescue helicopter. The South Canterbury Coastguard and Maritime New Zealand criticized Sea Shepherd over the incident, stating "There was no need for Sea Shepherd to behave like this".Sea Shepherd Conservation Society founderPaul Watson said the first the organization knew about the distress call was when the helicopter arrived. "We can't help it if someone else makes the call. There was nothing wrong with the ship," he said.[14]
Because of theCOVID-19 pandemic, Sea Shepherd ended up selling vessels instead of maintaining them; the vessel was sold to a new owner in Mexico.[15]
Since 2021 she has been used as an offshore support vessel and is called Merida, owned and operated by the French company Oceanic Assistance.[16]
