Tunnel Boring Machine arrived at Dublin docks, travelling to Rossport soon

by Rossport Solidarity Camp Sun Jul 29, 2012 23:24 rossportsolidaritycamp at gmail dot com 0851141170

Just to let people know that Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) (that Shell are planning to use to bore a 4.2m tunnel through Sruwaddacon estuary) has been spotted in Dublin Port. The word is that it will be leaving Dublin port tonight and is expected to take 2 or 3 nights to arrive in Erris. It is rumored that it will be coming the Sligo route and then going through Ballina and traveling in a 3 truck convoy with alot of Gardaí.

It will be traveling slowly, so probably moving overnight, and expected to arrive in Erris early Tuesday morning. This is a really vital bit of equipment so disruption to the specially constructed TBM will delay the project.

Also any information on the progress of the TBM and convoy could be useful so please let us know on camp if you know it's whereabouts, preferably to the camp phone (085-1141170) or by email ([email protected]) or on Twitter using #corribTBM

If you can make it to Erris in the next day or so then it would be great, either to join the protest or as support. There will be roles in continuing action and support over the next few days so if you have a bit of free time then please consider it.

You can read about about the Tunnelling machine here: http://shelltosea.com/content/corrib-tunnelling-machine...built
And one campaigners view on the TBM here: http://shelltosea.com/content/shell-and-children-lir

The camp

by Derv Mon Jul 30, 2012 03:01

Please everyone get off your arses and take your country back, or at least try to stall the ruination of our land and water and air....even if it just means reporting the location of the convoy if you have seen it..come on NOW...

by art Mon Jul 30, 2012 10:21

Hi, There is a lot of the 100 meters backup pieces that the main digging parts drag along missing, so it will be a while before the machine is ready to do any digging. That said the company that makes same is owned by Josie's company, London Aranmore. There will also be 8 of these machines employed on the Crossrail Project London.
That said protesting is meaningless as the companies involved use secret lists to employ their personell and only employ compliant beans, these will eventually be replaced by intelligent AI robotic systems that dont require human intervention and nobody is noticing.
There is not much the ordinary person can do other than question the old values including the belief systems. Does anybody really question the goals of humanity or whether there is one, or where the future is taking us.
Finally we can now see the economic mess we are in with some of the countries having 50% of their youth unemloyed. If we cannot see whats coming soon and cooperate with each other there will be little hope for us. Ps Go to "Quantumanity.com" the direction may be there.

Regards and good luck

by éirígí PRO - éirígí Mon Jul 30, 2012 11:00

Footage of Shell's Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) leaving Dublin Port as it begins its 320km journey to Rossport in North West Mayo. The private energy company intend to use the TBM to bore a tunnel for a highly controversial gas pipeline which will link the Corrib Gas Field to the company's gas refinery at Ballinaboy.

The video shows part of the massive Garda operation that has been put in place to assist Shell transport the TBM to Mayo. Such use of Garda resources has become commonplace over the last seven years as the state has spend tens of millions of euro's facilitating Shell's exploitation of the Corrib Gas Field.

The Corrib Gas Field is believed to contain tens of billions of euro's worth of natural gas. The deal which saw Shell gain ownership of Corrib was based upon a legal framework developed by corrupt politicians including Ray Burke and Bertie Ahern. Under that deal the people of Ireland will receive virtually no return from the Corrib Gas, but will instead have to buy back their own gas from Shell at the full market rate. éírígí is calling for the immediate nationalisation of the Corrib Gas Field, the Barryroe Oil Field and all other Irish hydrocarbon resources.

by patch Mon Jul 30, 2012 12:22

Good luck everyone. stay safe
keep uk updated

by Bas - Dublin S2S and éirígí Mon Jul 30, 2012 14:04

Protest called for Ballina as Armed Police move Tunnel Boring Machinery for Shell
Release: immediate

Place: Ballina

Date: 30 July 2012

Shell to Sea are calling for a protest to take place in Ballina tonight starting at 9pm to protest against the bringing in of a tunnelling machine designed to tunnel under Sruwaddacon estuary. A huge Gardai operation, including the armed Emergency Response Unit, is already taking place and it is expected that the town centre will be closed when it passes through on its way to the Bellanaboy refinery.

The equipment is the tunnel boring machine which will be used to drill under the Sruwaddacon estuary to link up the Corrib gas field with Bellinaboy refinery in Erris. It left Dublin Port last night on three 40 meter trucks that carried the some sections of the 500 ton tunnelling machine. With it was a huge convoy that included four riot vans, numerous other police vehicles and four minibuses of private security The huge police operation saw check points every five miles and on top of every motorway bridge as it passed.

Protestors gathered at the port and followed the slow moving convoy through the night until it stopped in Sligo. Struggling to take junctions and roundabouts, it caused massive disruption and tailbacks along the motorway.
It will resume its journey tonight to the Aughoos compound, when it will be joined by an armed response team and potentially other machine segments that have come in from Killybegs and Belfast. Campaigners from Shell to Sea will be assembling outside Dunnes Stores in Ballina tonight to draw attention to the massive state operation that is needed to bring it in.

Maura Harrington from the campaign said, “This TBM means the rape of the environment and the rape of our natural resources. That Shell is using armed protection from the state means we live in a banana republic. Where you have occupation you have resistance.”

End

Video footage. photos and accounts available at

http://www.wsm.ie/c/garda-deployed-protect-shells-machi...eland

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.4994030200855...59140

http://youtu.be/nFJrkqHCUlQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_NSFNaKh4e8&list=UUgHyPW...=plcp

by Eamonn O'Coillea'in - Republic of Ireland Mon Jul 30, 2012 16:48

Armed Police Units, Are we now going to be shot for peacefully protesting against shell in the name of the Irish Free State ?
Just so $hell can finally complete the destruction of our area of Erris, say it ain't so Enda, if anyone is hurt or shot tonight, Michael Collins rolling in his grave will come alive and that will be that, Sea you in Hell $hell..

by W. Finnerty Mon Jul 30, 2012 18:24

"In other words, the taxpayer gets saddled with the massive debts of the bankers, while our massive oil and gas assets are given away to private companies, despite the fact that Article 10 of our Constitution (Bunreacht na hEireann) clearly states that 'all natural resources' within the Republic of Ireland jurisdiction 'belong to the State'."

Where did our "public servants" (so called) get the authority from to give away what was not theirs to give away?

Where are our constitutional lawyers?

Why is our Judiciary acting against our people?

When will such questions be raised in public?

When will they be answered?

The above excerpts are from: http://www.indymedia.ie/article/96287?&condense_comment...67202

Related Link: (5.4 trillion Euros Give-Away):
http://tinyurl.com/bqgl8cj

by tired camper Tue Jul 31, 2012 10:11

Actions all night under the noses of stupid amounts of gardai. Two lock-ons happened, and a car parked across Bellacorrick Bridge. Massive area shut down by Gardai. Latest is that having failed to make its turn to Aghoos the trucks went up to Glenamoy to turn around and are now stuck there causing more disruption. A well known local campaigner had their vehicle struck in the process. Fuller update to come soon...

by tired camper Tue Jul 31, 2012 11:00

The side of the road has caved at Glenamoy / Rossport Cross has due one of the trucks carrying a 162 tons segment of tunnel boring machine. The driver is refusing to get into the truck in case it topples. A lot of head-scratching going on as to how to resolve this rather interesting conundrum.

Someone going on McGrath's Bus for dialysis was delayed and told at first the had to go home, though they were eventually let on. A driver was threatened with arrest but after a lot of fuss was let through.

You couldn't make this up...