This Monday, June 2, the first UNOC ships arrived at the port of Nice under the watchful eye of Christian Estrosi. True ambassadors of ocean preservation, they will be open to visitors until June 5 inclusive. They will participate in a parade on June 8, except for the Greenpeace ship, which has been ultimately excluded.
It is 11:30 AM at the port of Nice. The boats already present sound their horns. A deep noise echoes along the Entrecasteaux quay. The Third United Nations Ocean Conference is officially underway.
On this occasion, Mayor Christian Estrosi was present to meet the different crews and take some photos. Accompanying him were Renaud Muselier, president of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region, and Olivier Poivre d’Arvor, special envoy of the President of the Republic for the UNOC.
And while there were still few visitors at the port this morning, some ships can already be visited. Until Thursday, June 5 for some. They will also offer on-board activities, all centered around the preservation of the oceans.
An impressive fleet
These ships are not called “the Ocean Wonders” by chance. They will number about thirty by the end of the week. And as of this Monday, some of them have already delighted visitors. This is the case of the Energy Observer 1, a pioneering vessel in energy transition. It is the first boat to complete a world tour by combining renewable energies and hydrogen produced on board from seawater.
In another vein, a superb Turkish caique is docked at the port, with a very specific function. The STS Bodrum participates in scientific missions, in connection with UNESCO, and is also involved in European missions. All these boats will be highlighted on Sunday, June 8, during the “Ocean Wonders” parade.
To obtain all the necessary information and book visits on the boats, visit the UNOC website.
The Greenpeace ship excluded from the parade
Only one ship will not be seen at sea: the MY Arctic Sunrise of Greenpeace, excluded from the inaugural parade. The reason for this exclusion is the action taken by the organization on May 21, when the ship deposited 15 limestone blocks in the sea to prevent bottom trawling. The action was criticized.
“It is simply an aberration. For over 50 years, we have been defending the oceans, particularly aboard our ships. We have always acted non-violently for the protection of the high seas, the prohibition of deep-sea mining, strict protection of marine protected areas, and the end of single-use plastics,” denounced Jean-François Julliard, executive director of Greenpeace France, on Monday. The organization still plans to call at the port of Nice on June 4 and 5.
