A render of the Yūshin Maru type whale catcher.
History
Japan
Name	Yūshin Maru No. 2
Owner	Kyodo Senpaku Kaisha, Ltd.
Operator	Institute of Cetacean Research
Port of registry	Tokyo, Japan
Builder	Naikai Shipbuilding & Engineering, Setoda
Laid down	March 6, 2002
Launched	June 11, 2002
Identification	IMO number: 9278040[1] MMSI number: 432364000 Call sign: JPPV[2]
Status	in active service
General characteristics
Type	Whaler
Tonnage	747 gross tonnage (GT)
Length	69.61 m (228.4 ft) o/a
Beam	10.8 m (35 ft) (moulded)
Height	19.5 m (64 ft)[2]
Draft	4.718 m (15.48 ft)
Installed power	5280 PS / 3900 kW[2]
Speed	22 kts
Crew	8

The Yūshin Maru No. 2 (第二勇新丸, Daini Yūshin Maru) is a Japanese-registered whale catcher that undertakes whaling operations in the North Pacific Ocean and Southern Ocean. Along with other vessels of the Japanese whaling fleet, she has been featured on American television since 2008, in the documentary-style reality series Whale Wars.^[3]

On January 15, 2008, two members of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, traveling on the MV Steve Irwin, boarded the Yūshin Maru No. 2 without permission. They were detained on board the ship for two days before being transferred to the Australian customs vessel MV Oceanic Viking.^{[citation needed]}

On February 6, 2009, the MV Steve Irwin collided with the Yūshin Maru No. 2 as the activist vessel attempted to obstruct the transfer of a whale up the slipway of the factory ship Nisshin Maru. Both sides claimed the other responsible.^[4] Pete Thomas of the LA Times speculated as to "whether [Mr. Watson's] actions are truly on behalf of the whales, or merely to obtain dramatic footage for the Animal Planet series, Whale Wars".^[5]

• 
  Sister ship Yūshin Maru with a Whale
• 
  Sister ship Yūshin Maru with a Whale

• Institute of Cetacean Research
• Whaling in Japan

This article about a Japanese corporation- or company-related topic is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

• v
• t
• e

This hunting-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

• v
• t
• e

This article about a specific civilian ship or boat is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

• v
• t
• e