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January 2019, news got out about the MV Steve Irwin, a ship that had dedicated over ten years to protecting our oceans, being sold for scrap in Hong Kong. This ship had been at the forefront of numerous campaigns in Australia's marine protected and threatened environments.

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'The Steve's' home port was Williamstown Melbourne Australia. This maritime precinct in Williamstown was inspired by the CSS Shenandoah, a confederate raider that once visited the area. Coincidentally, the CSS Shenandoah was also a renowned anti-whaling ship, albeit with different motivations from MV Steve Irwin and crew. It is intriguing to think that both the CSS Shenandoah and, now, the MV Steve Irwin share Williamstown as a place for people to visit and learn about their respective exploits in anti-whaling. In fact, Captain Paul Watson, has written a book titled "The War That Saved The Whales" that delves into this connection.

The CSS Shenandoah and the endeavours of the MV Steve Irwin and her crew are maritime stories engaged in a war for their chosen causes. Captain Paul Watson's direct action conservation is a battle fought against illegal activities in our oceans to safeguard biodiversity, the animal's dependent on the ocean, and the health of our climate, which is greatly influenced by the well-being of our oceans.

Captain Paul Watson aptly stated, "If the ocean dies, we die." Watson has sailed thousands of miles aboard the MV Steve Irwin.

Now retired as an anti whaling ship, Ship4good believes it is fitting to celebrate the ship and her crew's successful campaigns as war heroes. All heroes should be honoured with a lasting legacy that is never forgotten and serves to inspire and educate others. This is the new mission of the MV Steve Irwin: to inspire and educate, while also bringing some enjoyment, and instilling hope for our oceans and environment.

In early 2020, the MV Steve Irwin received historic vessel status from the Australian Maritime Museum, further recognizing its significance. from 2022-2025 the ship has been undergoing extensive works including the creation of four incredible 'escape rooms' by Escape Reality, re branded 'Ship4Good - MV Steve Irwin', repainted in the iconic 'razzle dazzle' and registered in NSW as a domestic non-commercial, the vessel preparing or ocean conservation again. Our annual ocean conservations campaigns will focus on not 'wrangling whalers' but marine debris primarily in Queensland's Great Barrier Reef through collaboration with other ocean conservation groups. 

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