On September 5, the Greenpeace icebreaker Arctic Sunrise will dock at the port of Burgas, with the vessel scheduled to welcome visitors on board. The environmental organization clarifies that those wishing to tour the ship can do so at the Marine Station during two time slots: from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM and from 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM.
This visit is part of the Greenpeace Bulgaria initiative titled "A Living Black Sea Free from Oil and Gas," which aims to limit potential new fuel extraction drilling in the marine zone. A photo exhibition showcasing the organization's 15 years of activity in our country will be displayed in the immediate vicinity of the vessel.
The arrival in Burgas follows the conclusion of a scientific mission focused on marine mammals near the Southern Black Sea coast. An international team of scientists conducted observations within the Ropotamo and Strandja protected areas. Special equipment—a hydrophone installed on the ship's hull—was used to capture the vocalizations of cetaceans. According to Greenpeace, the research range reached 24 nautical miles out to sea, which is twice the distance typical for such studies.
"Conducting this study has been truly exciting for our team. The ship allowed us to collect valuable data on where marine mammals are found and how they use the marine space," said Martin Tomov, coordinator of the "A Living Black Sea Free from Oil and Gas" campaign.
The Arctic Sunrise has been operating under the Greenpeace flag since 1995, when it first headed to the North Sea to document pollution originating from offshore facilities. More than a decade later, in early August of this year, the ship reached the Bulgarian Black Sea coast, first docking at the Varna Marine Station. Subsequently, it took part in protests against the tanker Kairos. This vessel remains anchored in the Bay of Burgas after being left by a Turkish tugboat in the waters off Ahtopol late last year.