Shell sues Greenpeace for £1.7million for boarding oil vessel after they chased it in high-speed inflatable boats

• Six Greenpeace activists boarded the vessel in January near the Canary Islands 
• They travelled on it for 13 days and almost 4,000km, making it as far as Norway

Shell is suing Greenpeace for £1.7million in damages after activists boarded the company’s oil production vessel in transit at sea this year. 

Six activists boarded the vessel in January near the Canary Islands off the Atlantic coast of northern Africa to protest oil drilling and travelled on it for 13 days and almost 4,000km, making it as far as Norway.

They used ropes to hoist themselves onto the vessel from inflatable boats that chased the ship at high speed as it travelled to the Penguins oil and gas field in the North Sea, which is not yet in production.

The British oil and gas major has filed the claim in London’s High Court and has confirmed in an email to Reuters that legal proceedings were taking place but declined to comment on the amount being claimed.

Boarding a moving vessel at sea was ‘unlawful and extremely dangerous’ a spokesperson said. They added: ‘The right to protest is fundamental and we respect it absolutely. But it must be done safely and lawfully.’

Shell is suing Greenpeace for £1.7million in damages after activists boarded the company’s oil production vessel in transit at sea this year (Pictured: actvists on boats approaching the ship)

Six activists (pictured) boarded the vessel in January near the Canary Islands off the Atlantic coast of northern Africa to protest oil drilling and travelled on it as far as Norway

A Greenpeace activist gestures on a Shell oil production vessel in the Atlantic Ocean 

Protests at sea against oil, gas or mining infrastructure have long been part of Greenpeace’s operations.

The damages Shell is seeking include costs related to shipping delays and expenses for extra security, as well as legal costs, according to a document seen by Reuters.

‘The claim is one of the biggest legal threats against the Greenpeace network´s ability to campaign in the organisation´s more than 50-year history,’ Greenpeace said in a statement.

The group said Shell offered to reduce its damage claim to £1.1million if Greenpeace’s activists agree not to protest again at any of Shell’s oil and gas infrastructure at sea or in port.

Greenpeace said it would only do so if Shell complied with a 2021 Dutch court order to cut its emissions by 45% by 2030, which Shell has appealed.

A claim for additional damages of around £5.3million by one of Shell’s contractors, Fluor, is unresolved, according to the document seen by Reuters. Fluor did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Shell and Greenpeace have held negotiations since the case was filed, but talks ended in early November, Greenpeace said, adding it was now waiting for Shell to file further documents in court.

Greenpeace said it will then consider its next steps, including ways to stop the case from proceeding.

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