Description

MY STEVE IRWIN CONERVATION VESSEL

FULLY BUILT AND READY TO DISPLAY MUSEUM QUALITY SHIP MODEL

Dimension approx.: 24.5″L x 5″W x 12.5″H
The model is already built. THIS IS NOT A MODEL SHIP KIT

The MY Steve Irwin began her life far from the high‑profile conservation battles that later defined her. Built in 1975, she spent 28 years as the Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency patrol vessel FPV Westra, enforcing conservation laws in the cold waters around Scotland. When she was laid up for disposal in 2003, her future seemed uncertain — until Sea Shepherd Conservation Society purchased her in November 2006, transforming the aging patrol boat into one of the world’s most recognizable activist vessels.

Originally christened MV Robert Hunter in honor of the Greenpeace co‑founder, she was renamed Steve Irwin shortly after the death of the famed wildlife advocate. Irwin had considered joining the ship on an Antarctic voyage, and his widow Terri endorsed the renaming, giving the vessel a new identity rooted in global conservation.

From 2007 onward, the Steve Irwin became the spearhead of Sea Shepherd’s direct‑action campaigns. She joined Operation Leviathan, confronting Japanese whaling vessels with butyric acid bottles and obstruction tactics, sustaining hull damage during a collision with Kaiko Maru. Later that year she sailed south for Operation Migaloo, beginning her long series of Antarctic missions.

In 2008, the ship was at the center of an international incident when two crew members boarded Yūshin Maru No. 2, were detained, and later transferred to the Australian customs vessel MV Oceanic Viking. Both sides accused the other of terrorism, and the confrontation drew global media attention.

Her campaigns continued with collisions, tailing operations, and dramatic confrontations. In 2009, she collided with Yūshin Maru No. 2 and No. 3, leading to repairs and upgrades — including her own water cannon. In 2010, she joined MY Bob Barker in obstructing the slipway of Nisshin Maru, while crew member Pete Bethune famously boarded Shōnan Maru 2 by jet ski.

Her missions expanded beyond whaling. In 2011, she assisted in the search for the missing polar vessel Berserk, later patrolled Libyan waters to disrupt illegal bluefin tuna fishing, and was briefly detained in London over a Maltese lawsuit. She continued Antarctic operations through 2012 and 2013, including a confrontation in which Nisshin Maru allegedly rammed Steve Irwin, Sam Simon, and Bob Barker.

By 2018, Sea Shepherd announced her retirement and planned recycling in China — but her story did not end there. Public outcry led to the “Save the Steve” campaign, and in 2019, she was rescued by Kerrie Goodall of Ship4Good, becoming a historic ship recognized by the Australian Maritime Museum. She found a new home in Williamstown, offering tours, events, and a small museum.

In 2024, her engines roared back to life for the first time in five years, and by 2025, she returned to sea under Ship4Good’s partnership with the Tangaroa Blue Foundation, embarking on a new mission: marine debris removal and ocean conservation across Australia.

Today, the MY Steve Irwin stands as one of the most storied activist vessels of the modern era — a ship that moved from government patrols to global conservation battles, from television fame on Whale Wars to a renewed life as a symbol of environmental stewardship. Her legacy is one of resilience, controversy, and unwavering commitment to the oceans she was built to protect.