The Sea Shepherd vessel, Bob Barker, comes to collision distance from Japanese fuel tanker Sun Laurel in the Antarctica

The Sea Shepherd vessel, Bob Barker (front), comes to collision distance from Japanese tanker Sun Laurel in the Antarctica in this handout photo taken and released by the Institute of Cetacean Research (ICR) February 20, 2013. Anti-whaling activists called on Wednesday for Australia to send a naval vessel to the Southern Ocean after a confrontation in which they said a Japanese whaling ship, the Nisshin Maru, collided with two of their protest vessels, damaging their flagship. Australia said it was confirming the report of the incident. Neither the Japanese government nor its whaling authority immediately responded to the Sea Shepherd’s account of the clash. Mandatory Credit REUTERS/The Institute of Cetacean Research/Handout (ANTARCTICA – Tags: ENVIRONMENT POLITICS CIVIL UNREST) MANDATORY CREDIT. ATTENTION EDITORS – THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NOT FOR SALE FOR MARKETING OR ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS. THIS PICTURE IS DISTRIBUTED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED BY REUTERS, AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS