MV Tampa
Encyclopedia
MV Tampa is a roll-on/roll-off container ship
completed in 1984 by Hyundai Heavy Industries Co., Ltd.
in South Korea
for the Norway based firm, Wilhelmsen Lines Shipowning.
, a diplomatic dispute brewed between Australia
, Norway
, and Indonesia
after Tampa rescued 438 Afghans from a distressed fishing vessel in international waters. The Afghans wanted passage to nearby Christmas Island
. The Australian government
sought to prevent this by refusing Tampa entry into Australian waters, insisting on their disembarkment elsewhere, and deploying the SASR
to board the ship. At the time of the incident, Tampa carried cargo worth , and 27 crew.
The crew of Tampa received the Nansen Refugee Award
for 2002 from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
(UNHCR) for their efforts to follow international principles of saving people in distress at sea.
-smuggling operation intercepted by the New Zealand Customs Service
and the Australian Federal Police
. Twenty-seven kilograms of cocaine was allegedly attached to the side of the two cargo ships bound for Australia in purpose-built metal pods, although New Zealand authorities stated they did not believe the ship's crew or owners were involved.
, a 1:550 scale model of MV Tampa was assembled, weighted with lead shot to simulate a full load of cargo, and used as a scale scientific test bed vehicle for determining whether ocean whirlpools are capable of sinking a large container ship.
Container ship
Container ships are cargo ships that carry all of their load in truck-size intermodal containers, in a technique called containerization. They form a common means of commercial intermodal freight transport.-History:...
completed in 1984 by Hyundai Heavy Industries Co., Ltd.
Hyundai Heavy Industries
Hyundai Heavy Industries Co., Ltd. is the world's largest shipbuilding company, headquartered in Ulsan, South Korea. The company is a subsidiary of Hyundai Heavy Industries Group...
in South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
for the Norway based firm, Wilhelmsen Lines Shipowning.
Tampa affair
In August 2001, under Captain Arne RinnanArne Rinnan
Arne Frode Rinnan was the captain of the MV Tampa, owned by Norwegian shipping line Wallenius Wilhelmsen which was involved in the so-called Tampa affair...
, a diplomatic dispute brewed between Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, and Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
after Tampa rescued 438 Afghans from a distressed fishing vessel in international waters. The Afghans wanted passage to nearby Christmas Island
Christmas Island
The Territory of Christmas Island is a territory of Australia in the Indian Ocean. It is located northwest of the Western Australian city of Perth, south of the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, and ENE of the Cocos Islands....
. The Australian government
Howard Government
The Howard Government refers to the federal Executive Government of Australia led by Prime Minister John Howard. It was made up of members of the Liberal–National Coalition, which won a majority of seats in the Australian House of Representatives at four successive elections. The Howard Government...
sought to prevent this by refusing Tampa entry into Australian waters, insisting on their disembarkment elsewhere, and deploying the SASR
Australian Special Air Service Regiment
The Special Air Service Regiment, officially abbreviated SASR but commonly known as the SAS, is a special forces unit of the Australian Army...
to board the ship. At the time of the incident, Tampa carried cargo worth , and 27 crew.
The crew of Tampa received the Nansen Refugee Award
Nansen Refugee Award
The Nansen Refugee Award formerly known as the Nansen Medal is given annually by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to individuals or groups in recognition of outstanding service to the cause of refugees. It is one of the most prestigious awards in the United Nations system...
for 2002 from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees , also known as The UN Refugee Agency is a United Nations agency mandated to protect and support refugees at the request of a government or the UN itself and assists in their voluntary repatriation, local integration or resettlement to...
(UNHCR) for their efforts to follow international principles of saving people in distress at sea.
Cocaine smuggling bust
In October 2006, MV Tampa was one of two Wilhelmsen ships involved in a cocaineCocaine
Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
-smuggling operation intercepted by the New Zealand Customs Service
New Zealand Customs Service
The Customs Service is a state sector organisation of New Zealand whose role is to provide border control and protect the community from potential risks arising from international trade and travel, as well as collecting duties and taxes on imports to the country. New Zealand's Minister of Customs...
and the Australian Federal Police
Australian Federal Police
The Australian Federal Police is the federal police agency of the Commonwealth of Australia. Although the AFP was created by the amalgamation in 1979 of three Commonwealth law enforcement agencies, it traces its history from Commonwealth law enforcement agencies dating back to the federation of...
. Twenty-seven kilograms of cocaine was allegedly attached to the side of the two cargo ships bound for Australia in purpose-built metal pods, although New Zealand authorities stated they did not believe the ship's crew or owners were involved.
MythBusters test model
In the 2006 episode "Whirlpool/Snowplow" of the TV show MythBustersMythBusters
MythBusters is a science entertainment TV program created and produced by Beyond Television Productions for the Discovery Channel. The series is screened by numerous international broadcasters, including Discovery Channel Australia, Discovery Channel Latin America, Discovery Channel Canada, Quest...
, a 1:550 scale model of MV Tampa was assembled, weighted with lead shot to simulate a full load of cargo, and used as a scale scientific test bed vehicle for determining whether ocean whirlpools are capable of sinking a large container ship.
Further reading
- Decision of Justice North, Federal Court of Australia 11 September 2001
- Decision of Full Court overturning decision of Justice North, 18 September 2001
- David MarrDavid Marr (journalist)David Ewan Marr is an Australian journalist, author, and progressive political and social commentator. His areas of expertise include the law, Australian politics, censorship, the media and the arts...
& Marian WilkinsonMarian WilkinsonMarian Wilkinson is an Australian journalist and author. She was born in 1954 and grew up in Brisbane, Queensland where she attended the University of Queensland. She is the environment editor for The Sydney Morning Herald...
Dark VictoryDark VictoryDark Victory is a 1939 American drama film directed by Edmund Goulding and starring Bette Davis, George Brent, Humphrey Bogart, and Ronald Reagan...
. ISBN 1-74114-447-7 - Ian McPhedran "The Amazing SAS". ISBN 0-7322-7981-X
- News.com.au: Reflections by Julian Burnside on Tampa with public comments published to coincide with 5 year anniversary of the event
- Daniel RossDaniel Ross (Australian philosopher and filmmaker)Daniel Ross is an Australian philosopher and filmmaker, best known as the author of and the co-director of the film The Ister...
, Violent Democracy, ch. 5.
External links
- NauruWire, an Australia based site Update on status of detainees. Accessed 25 June 2005.