Greenpeace to Pay £300,000 in Settlement with Shell

Greenpeace has reached a settlement with Shell, agreeing to pay £300,000 (roughly $383,000) to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) as part of the resolution.

The dispute stemmed from a protest in January 2023, where Greenpeace activists targeted the heavy lift vessel White Marlin. The ship was transporting equipment for drilling in the North Sea. Activists approached the vessel in inflatable boats and climbed aboard, occupying it for 13 days.

The demonstrators used ropes to board the Penguin FPSO platform, which was being shipped on the White Marlin to the Penguins oil and gas field near the Shetland Islands.

Shell later reported that apart from a damaged padlock, there was no significant harm to property. However, the company pursued legal action, seeking $1 million in damages. Shell claimed the protest caused considerable disruptions, leading to shipping delays and safety risks for both the crew and the activists.

As part of the settlement, Greenpeace agreed to pay £300,000 to the RNLI, a charity specializing in search and rescue operations. In addition, Greenpeace committed to refraining from protests at four specific oil fields in the North Sea. The organization will avoid three of these areas for five years and the fourth for a decade.

Greenpeace’s co-executive director, Areeba Hamid, stated that Shell chose to settle due to the negative publicity surrounding the lawsuit. Public backlash made the case untenable, prompting Shell to pursue an out-of-court resolution.