''Kaikō Maru'' (海幸丸; now ''SVS Frobisher'') was the spotter ship for the Japanese whaling fleet. In 2007, it collided with the

Sea Shepherd Conservation Society The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society (SSCS) is a non-profit, marine conservation activism organization based in Friday Harbor, Washington, Friday Harbor on San Juan Island, Washington, in the United States. Sea Shepherd employs direct action t ...

vessel '' MY Robert Hunter'' and was disabled.Japanese whaler, anti-whaling ship collide
, China Economic Net, February 15, 2007 It sent out a

mayday Mayday is an emergency procedure word used internationally as a distress signal in voice-procedure radio communications. It is used to signal a life-threatening emergency primarily by aviators and mariners, but in some countries local organiz ...

(call for help) and ''Robert Hunter'', , and were obliged to respond until ''Kaiko Maru'' was repaired. It was sold in 2013 to Specialised Vessel Services as a patrol vessel and renamed as ''SVS Frobisher''.

References

{{Whaling fleet of the Institute of Cetacean Research Whaling ships Whaling in Japan 1972 ships Ships built in Japan