Oil giant Shell are suing environmental organisation Greenpeace for more than $8 million (USD) over a protest on a Shell operated vessel. The protest involved 4 Greenpeace members approaching the lift ship White Marlin while at sea. They arrived fast, on small inflatable crafts and then proceeded to board without permission.

Map location showing where Greenpeace boarded the White Marlin

In a bold but dangerous manoeuvre, Greenpeace boarded the White Marlin while underway at sea north of the Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean.

 

The brazen act was carried out in relatively rough seas while the ship and her crew were going about their duties. They were undertaking a major operation that involves partially submerging the vessel, manoeuvring under a massive FPSO oil rig and then floating back up, lifting the oil rig out of the water. This impressive spectacle and extremely heavy lift is not without hazards and a great deal of planning and preparation will have gone in to this procedure.

Impressive Spectacle And Extremely Heavy Lift

The protesters having disrupted the operation, then stayed on board for over 2 weeks. Other than having tea and biscuits, it isn't clear what they were doing on board all that time. Later there was plenty triumphant boasting that this was their longest protest on board an oil platform.

Shell is attempting to have Greenpeace legally blocked from attempting to board any Shell infrastructure, ever. This seems an unlikely ambitious outcome. The actual goal sought by the oil giant is more realistically to restrict Greenpeace in some way. Thus cause delay and trouble enough to have them reconsider taking such actions in the future.

The vessel was on route from the Canary Islands to Norway where the FPSO oil platform is to get some refurbishment work before it's next project. Ultimately destined for the Shetland Islands where it will undertake new drilling activities, now that the UK government have opened up new licences for exploration.

Exploration That Will Bring Many New Well Paid Jobs To UK

Exploration that will bring many new well paid jobs to UK and international people. Exploration that will bring billions in tax for the UK treasury, boosting the economy, allowing improvements for less fortunate members of British society. Since the UK is a net importer of oil and gas, it will mean less imports from foreign sources, some of which are undesirable.

Greenpeace Decided To Ignore The UK High Court Order

Shell won an injunction against the protest which sought to demand that Greenpeace make a plan for their disembarkation of the vessel. Greenpeace decided to ignore the UK high court order and in blatant disregard for the law instead actually added an additional 2 of their members to the vessel.

The entire incident passed without any reported injuries to members of the vessel crew or the 6 Greenpeace members.

Shell is suing on the grounds that in addition to the facility delays, they have incurred legal fees, additional security costs and the supply of an additional safety vessel, all to prevent further boarding protests.

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Richard Johnson
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Richard is one of our main oil industry contributors. He likes fast cars, motor boats and... »

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Replies

• Imogen C (May 7, 2024)
  I'm with Shell on this one.
• Seren (Mar 27, 2024)
  Hope Shell win.
• Muhammad (Mar 26, 2024)
  We need oil. Oil demand is still rising. Greenpeace should put their time and money in to developing alternative energy sources instead of stupid, dangerous, time-wasting stunts.
• Terresa (Feb 10, 2024)
  I have some sympathy with the environmental cause they are trying to enforce. However, I think they are going about it the wrong way. This operation would have been expensive for Greenpeace and I think they could have used the money better. I certainly wouldn't donate to them, just to waste it on projects like this. But there are plenty who do support them.
• Roddy (Feb 8, 2024)
  I hope that these Greenpeace nuts are stopped. This is not the way.
• P Bea (Feb 7, 2024)
  This is akin to piracy!
• Taylor (Feb 3, 2024)
  Greenpeace are a bunch of goody goody toffs out for a jolly to give a good story for their future grandchildren. Funded by celebs to whom most of society gift a near god like status, when at best all they do is sing nice little songs or play kid-on to make a nice movie. At worst they have their head up where the sun don't shine or are perverts. In Shakespeare's day actors were regarded as a smidge above prostitutes in society, today it's totally different. Some American woman got awarded person of the year not that long ago and all she does is sing songs!!! All the problems and fighting in the world and person of the year is a singer!!! The world is mad!
• Mark Ski (Jan 28, 2024)
  Greenpeace should spend their time trying to convince consumers not to buy oil related products rather than trying to stop the oil companies. If people stop buying oil, the oil companies will stop producing. But then, if they didn't do daring headline grabbing stunts, no matter how idiotic and useless, then the funding from "celebrities" would dry up!
• Paul Rosenberg (Jan 26, 2024)
  Greenpeace aren't happy, because Shell are taking investment out of renewables and putting it back in to oil. This is the nature of business. They have a responsibility to their investors and creditors (if any) to maximise profits. Oil is still where it's at as far as energy is concerned and so the money follows.
• Roisin (Jan 26, 2024)
  Hippy pirates!
• Carrie (Jan 14, 2024)
  If you care about the environment and the atmosphere, it's ok to also admit that Greenpeace are a bunch of clueless idiots sometimes. You can do both.
• Paul (May 7, 2024)
  If a crew member got hurt during this stunt, Greenpeace's insurance company would pay the compensation and then they would forget all about that person and their family. If a Greenpeace member got hurt they would take every opportunity to turn it in to the oil company's fault. They care more about penguins than people.
• Zeb (Jan 10, 2024)
  Waste of time and money. Who cares?
• Anna (Jan 10, 2024)
  Lefties need to grow a set.
• George Walker (Jan 7, 2024)
  They should shake hands and walk away having both learned a lesson.
• Shona Morrison (Dec 30, 2023)
  I donate to Greenpeace and do not want to see them fined.
• Kasbek (Dec 29, 2023)
  Greenpeace is a force for good, even if they don't get it 100% right all the time. Leave them alone Shell.
• Marshall Muir (Dec 29, 2023)
  Greenpeace members should go and get a proper job!
• Marge (Dec 26, 2023)
  Did they have to feed and water the protesters during their stay on board? Cheek, I'd have let them go hungry and thirsty! But then they'd have claimed that Shell tried to starve us!
• John Forbes (Dec 22, 2023)
  Most of the people who online vocally back these over the top tree huggers, do so without any thought of the consequences. A world without oil would be hell! Millions, possibly billions of people would quickly die. We can only support this many people (over 7 billion of us) with the energy that oil brings. Sure, in the interest of the environment, we need to change our ways. But that is going to take time and we might loose a few polar bears along the way, but we'll get there and make it right.
• Clarke (Dec 19, 2023)
  These protesters and their celebrity backers are not living in the real world.
• Morris (Dec 19, 2023)
  If you can't do the time don't do the crime. I think that fits in this case.
• Chuck (Dec 15, 2023)
  Trespassing, so suck it up.
• Janice (Dec 9, 2023)
  Shell don't need the money and Greenpeace can use any fine for better use in some other environment battle. I hope they can sort it out.
• Cameron (Nov 29, 2023)
  Ignoring the usual hypocritical idiots jumping on the lefty bandwagon. The comments on this story on the socials are great. Some are so against everything that the Greenpeace lot do or Greta Thurnburg. Greenpeace have put up a post asking for signatures against Shell. Some have nothing but hate for Greenpeace, which I imagine comes as a surprise to the original poster. I mean it's obvious to everyone right? Greenpeace is good, oil companies are bad? Black and white, simple. Everyone is on board? I can only repeat some of them. One guy wrote "Where do I sign to stop Greenpeace" ha ha. Another about Greenpeace "You're on the wrong side of common sense". Lots like "Good on Shell." "Respect to Shell", "I support shell" and so on. The odd one in support of the protesters, but they get roasted in the comments.
• Clive (Nov 29, 2023)
  Almost everything they used and wore is made from oil, except their Harrods cotton underwear, which couldn't be harvested, transported and made in to garments without oil. These people, that Swedish brat, just stop oil and Greenpeace in general make me sick. Floating around causing a nuisance. These people come from privileged backgrounds and have worked for nothing or are fat retires. They have idle time on their hands and use that time to cause problems. Problems that ultimately effect poor people struggling day on day.
• Aba Selassie (Nov 15, 2023)
  Too far this time Greenpeace.
• Nigel (Nov 11, 2023)
  Was the Greenpeace ship and inflatable ribs powered by oil based fuel? Are the ribs made almost entirely out of oil based products? What about their clothing? Even the ropes they tied the ribs off with are made from oil.
• Jane Duncan (Nov 9, 2023)
  I like most of what Greenpeace do and hope that Shell will give up on the legal case.
• Marky (Nov 9, 2023)
  This reckless protest could easily result in injury to innocent working people. It is perfectly right that people and organisations have the right to protest, but Greenpeace actions are ridicules and I hope they have to pay.

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