SubscribeShip That Hit Iceberg Owned By Gore Acolyte
From the Canadian Free Press:
Al Gore buddy owner of sunken ship that left huge carbon footprint on Antarctic Ocean floor
By Judi McLeod Monday, November 26, 2007
You’d never read this in the mainstream media: The owner of MS Explorer that sank, leaving a huge carbon footprint at the bottom of the Antarctic Ocean Friday is an acolyte of teensy-weensy carbon footprint crusader Al Gore.
G.A.P. Adventures CEO and Explorer owner, Bruce Poon Tip [sic] and Gore have similar ideals, “filling their schedules with speaking engagements on environmental change to educate global audiences.” And that’s straight off of www.gapadventures.com. In fact, as recently as last April, both Poon Tip and Gore gave presentations at the Green Living Show in Toronto.
“I expressed my admiration for Mr. Gore’s commitment and leadership which spans more than 20 years,” commented Poon Tip. “I also invited him aboard our legendary polar expedition ship, the MS Explorer to visit the Arctic.”
The legendary polar expedition ship…”had at least five faults at its last inspection,” according to Greenpeace spokeswoman Bunny McDiarmid. “Maritime records show the MV Explorer has completed more than 40 cruises to the ice, but has lately been suffering maintenance and safety problems.”
Maintenance and safety problems never kept the MS Explorer from setting out for the Antarctica two weeks ago…
There was little mention in the mainstream media that the passengers were comprised of eco warriors or that they had spent thousands of dollars to see ice at a much closer range than they ever dreamed…
The 38-year-old vessel was sold by Abercrombie & Kent (A&K) to G.A.P Adventures in 2004. A&K has since acquired Explorer II, now called “Minerva”…
Meanwhile, Greenpeace believes tourism in Antarctica should be strictly limited because of the fate of MS Explorer, but the silence is deafening from Poon Tip and Gore about the huge carbon footprint left on the ocean floor.
And indeed, at the G.A.P. Adventures site we find:
G.A.P Adventures CEO meets with Al Gore
May 29, 2007 - Not everyone gets to meet someone like Al Gore – a political leader and perhaps the most well-known climate change activist of our time, but G.A.P Adventures CEO, Bruce Poon Tip recently did!
Gore and Poon Tip met because they share similar ideals, filling their schedules with speaking engagements on environmental change to educate global audiences. In April 2007, both leaders gave presentations at the Green Living Show in Toronto.
As part of the show, Poon Tip was invited along with a small group to have lunch with Gore, who spoke about the environment and showed segments from his documentary “An Inconvenient Truth”. Following the presentation, Poon Tip and Gore discussed many topics including the power of Gore’s documentary, ecotourism, the critical situation in the Arctic as well as Gore’s ambitious travelling schedule. “I give 40 presentations to global audiences every year and I was amazed that Mr. Gore, who told me he has 9 presentations a week, and speaks at up to 400 engagements a year was able to make his talk as fresh as if he was presenting it for the first time,” says Poon Tip. “I came away with renewed energy!”
Poon Tip was impressed with Gore’s dedication to global warming. “I expressed my admiration for Mr. Gore’s commitment and leadership which spans more than 20 years,” commented Poon Tip. “I also invited him aboard our legendary polar expedition ship, the M/S Explorer to visit the Arctic.”
Poon Tip and Gore have several things in common. They both dedicate their personal and professional lives to improving the environment, give many presentations on eco-friendly practices to global audiences and are striving to make positive changes for the survival of our planet. Chances are, they will meet again.
Isn’t irony ironic?
It’s only too bad Mr. Gore didn’t take up Mr. Poon Tip’s offer to cruise on the MS Explorer.
Though, perhaps the Antarctic has suffered enough already.
14 Responses to “Ship That Hit Iceberg Owned By Gore Acolyte”
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November 27th, 2007 at 12:35 pm
That’s a whole lotta trees he’s going to have to plant.
November 27th, 2007 at 1:24 pm
It’s also worth noting that this Canadian ship was Liberian flagged.
Don’t ship owners do that in order to avoid paying taxes ?
But in the same token, aren’t these eco-loons the same ones who are calling for extra taxes on other businesses or even people who want to enjoy such luxuries as heating their homes in the winter ?
Hypocracy -thy name is Poon Tip (snicker) and thou flyest the wrong flag.
November 27th, 2007 at 2:21 pm
Too bad the MSM won’t be commenting on the eco-disaster by the sinking of this vessel. Not that I want to see any of the Antarctic wildlife covered in oil - but if this ship had been owned by Cheney or Bush we would be seeing those kind of pictures all over the television.
November 27th, 2007 at 3:09 pm
“but if this ship had been owned by Cheney or Bush we would be seeing those kind of pictures all over the television.”
If this ship was owned by them, the msm would have shown children being slaughtered and somehow linked the two together.
November 27th, 2007 at 6:18 pm
“…left huge carbon footprint on Antarctic Ocean floor.”
You should see the huge fudgy buttprint Ol’ Poon Tip left in his Jockey’s.
That’s his eco-nooky money going down, ya know.
November 27th, 2007 at 6:51 pm
Bill Gates may be interested to know that a ship baring the copyrighted name to one of his companies products is on the ocean floor.
Something to be said for getting what you paid for.
November 27th, 2007 at 7:24 pm
It’s also worth noting that this Canadian ship was Liberian flagged.
Don’t ship owners do that in order to avoid paying taxes ?
I am not sure , but I think the reason is to avoid a lot of safety and maintenance costs.
November 27th, 2007 at 7:47 pm
That too, 1st, but I know that Canada Steamship Lines ships were largely registered offshore (Bermuda I think -I’d have to look it up) for the principal reason of avoiding high Canadian taxes.
(CSL, by the way, was owned by Paul Martin -the former prime minister of Canada -nice example to set, eh?)
The other thing I’m kinda wondering about, is that by all reports, it was a fairly small hole that sank this ship.
Here you have a ship purpose-built to go off the beaten path into cold, often stormy waters. And to carry paying passengers into these dangerous, remote places. Would the vessel not have watertight compartments, pumps able to handle some pretty major flooding, collision mats or other damage control gear and a crew trained to handle these kinds of emergencies ?
Maybe some of the Navy or Coast Guard guys who post here can elaborate.
I hope Lloyds of London is taking a very close look at this one.
November 27th, 2007 at 7:52 pm
“It’s also worth noting that this Canadian ship was Liberian flagged.
Don’t ship owners do that in order to avoid paying taxes ?
I am not sure , but I think the reason is to avoid a lot of safety and maintenance costs.”
Low taxes.
From Lowtax.net
http://tinyurl.com/2n5xsb
Liberian corporations, limited partnerships, registered business companies, foundations and LLCs are free of taxation if non-resident, i.e. not beneficially owned by a resident of Liberia, or with income earned in Liberia or repatriated to Liberia, and are used for a variety of purposes from holding entities, through property and portfolio owning to trading corporations quoted on the World’s major stock exchanges. Of these entities a foundation cannot trade but is particularly useful for holding together a complex structure of other entities for long term development. Liberian corporations are particularly favoured for the ownership of vessels, whether or not registered in the Liberian Registry.
Liberia Maritime Registry
57 years ago Liberia’s maritime program opened its doors to the world’s shipping community, and within 3 months the 29,000dwt tanker World Peace, a large vessel by the standards of her day, had become the first ocean going merchant vessel to fly Liberia’s star and stripes.
Now the Liberian registry is the second largest registry in the world: in 2004 came news that the total number of ships in the registry had passed 2,000. By March, 2006, the Liberian-flagged fleet consisted of 2,217 vessels of almost 66 million gross tons. Liberia’s fleet is made up of nearly every type of ship, with large concentrations of oil, chemical and gas tankers, followed closely by both dry bulk carriers and containerships. The Registry clearly has experience with special purpose vessels and large passenger ships.
Owners come from more than 50 countries, with Germany, Greece, Japan, Russia, Taiwan, the UK and the USA figuring prominently.
The success of the Liberian registry is due to the high standards set and maintained over a long period of time. The registry has a reputation for quality, efficiency, safety, and service. Liberia also offers one of the most convenient, efficient, and tax effective offshore corporate registries in the world. The registry is operated by LISCR, LLC (The Liberian International Shipping and Corporate Registry) , which has offices in the USA (Vienna, Virginia, and New York), Piraeus, Hamburg, Hong Kong, London, Monrovia, Zurich and Tokyo. LISCR has made significant investments in new computer and communication technologies in order to meet the demands of today’s shipping industry.
November 27th, 2007 at 8:38 pm
The registry has a reputation for quality, efficiency, safety, and service.
I would take that statement with a large grain of salt. Seems like every ship that has trouble is registered to Liberia.
November 27th, 2007 at 8:53 pm
This is too good.
November 27th, 2007 at 9:57 pm
Of course, I also read on another site, that though the registry is Liberian, it is operated by an American company. This perhaps accounts for the efficiency and quality.
Though with over 2200 ships, there’s bound to be an accident or two.
November 27th, 2007 at 10:37 pm
Is it just me or does President Bush’s newest best friend for life (hey if 41 can be best friends for life with 42, why not?), Al Goracle’s head look like it’s about to explode? Actiually I think his whole body looks like that. Let’s hope it does.
I learned about the BFF thingy from my grand daughter this past weekend. Finally found a place to use it….:-). I believe, however, it will be the last time.
November 28th, 2007 at 2:11 am
Typical Liberals when cornered, ” We are serious! Were talking about YOU not US!” No thinking involved just wrenching of hands. LOL