Greenpeace Activists Board Ship Headed to Shell Oil Field in UK

William Mathis, Bloomberg News

GRAN CANARIA, SPAIN - JANUARY 31: Captain of Greenpeace ship Arctic Sunrise looks out to the White Marlin ship transporting a Shell oil platform after being boarded by activists on January 31, 2023 in the Atlantic Ocean north of Gran Canaria, Spain. Greenpeace activists from Argentina, Turkey, the US and the UK have boarded and occupied the Shell oil platform en route to a major oilfield in the North Sea with the message: STOP DRILLING. START PAYING. Just two days ahead of Shells profits announcement, four Greenpeace International activists boarded the White Marlin vessel at sea north of the Canary Islands in a peaceful protest against the climate devastation around the world caused by Shell and the wider fossil fuel industry, without paying a penny towards loss and damage. (Photo by Handout/Getty Images) , Photographer: Handout/Getty Images Europe

(Bloomberg) -- Climate activists from Greenpeace boarded a ship in the Atlantic Ocean that was heading to a Shell Plc oil and gas field near the UK’s Shetland Islands.

Four of the Greenpeace activists used small motorized boats, launched from the organization’s Arctic Sunrise ship, to approach the 51,000 metric ton vessel called the White Marlin near the Canary Islands, according to a statement from the group. They then used used ropes to climb aboard and display a banner with the message, “Stop Drilling. Start Paying.”

“Shell and the wider fossil fuel industry are bringing the climate crisis into our homes, our families, our landscapes and oceans,” said Yeb Sano, executive director of Greenpeace Southeast Asia, who tried to board the ship, but was unable to.

The White Marlin is transporting a floating production, storage and offloading facility that will be used to develop the Penguins field.

“These actions are causing real safety concerns, with a number of people boarding a moving vessel in rough conditions,” a Shell spokesperson said by email. “We respect the right of everyone to express their point of view. It’s essential they do that with their safety and that of others in mind.”