Dear journalists, you are welcome to join us on Wednesday, 9 June at 11:00 AM in Pirita at Regati 1 (Balti Merekaatrite Hall) where we have a formal/informative ceremony to introduce the motorboat Roope 1. The ship that has been functioning as a maintenance and refuse collection vessel in Finnish coastal waters and big lakes for about 17 years will be assigned to non-profit association Keep the Estonian Sea by their Finnish sister organisation Pidä Saaristo Siistinä ry (Keep the Archipelago Clean). In Finland, Roope 1 was used in waterway bouyage and surveillance. Roope 1 was built in 1972; the vessel is 11 m in length and 3 m in width. The draught is 0.5 m at the bow and 1.0 m at the stern; there is a ramp at the fore. The vessel can carry freights of up to 6 tonnes and move at a maximum speed of 20 knots. Having a low draught and a ramp makes it possible for Roope 1 to land at places where there is no harbour. Non-profit association Keep the Estonian Sea plans to use Roope 1 to clean mainly islets without permanent inhabitants where the load on nature is greater due to the increasing number of visitors. Unfortunately, travellers by sea and tourists seeking adventures on islands are not informed well enough to collect their rubbish and leave the natural environment untouched when departing from the island. Besides maintenance and monitoring work, Roope 1 can be used in scientific research, ferrying of light equipment and, if needed, providing the service of emergency transportation to inhabitants of small islands. Villu Reiljan, Minister of the Environment sees the initiative of non-profit association Keep the Estonian Sea as a practical addition to the existing national waste strategy and recognises the effort as an example of successful cooperation between the public sector and the third sector. Further information: Erik Sikk, phone (+372) 555 777 89, e-mail: Tanel Kukk, phone (+372) 50 68 158, e-mail: |
