Greenpeace Activists Board Oil Exploration Vessel

Greenpeace activists in New Zealand have boarded a government research ship after discovering it has been exploring for oil. The research boat Tangaroa has recently been refitted for oil and gas exploration and has been searching for deep sea oil reserves off the East Coast of the North Island on behalf of Statoil and Chevron, claims Greenpeace.

Three Greenpeace activists have locked themselves to the mast and more are secured to various areas on deck. They have unfurled a banner reading: "Climb it Change" and intend to stay as long as possible.

The vessel is operated by NIWA, the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research.

In the NIWA 2014/15 annual report, the agency confirmed it was working with oil and gas companies to survey waters around New Zealand and detailed a $NZ1 million upgrade to help the vessel find gas reserves under the sea floor.

NIWA Chief Executive, John Morgan, expressed his disappointment and concern that trespassers had breached security and safety measures to board the Tangaroa.

“We understand the trespassers were protesting against NIWA’s marine research activities.  NIWA’s vessels undertake a wide range of activities, including fisheries assessments, marine biodiversity, whale population and biology surveys, hydrography and ocean geology, minerals and petroleum research, physical and biological oceanography, Southern Ocean and Antarctic science, ocean climate variability, ocean acidification, and marine natural hazards research.

“This is not surprising given NIWA’s role as New Zealand’s primary marine research organization and the fact that New Zealand is a maritime nation with 95 percent of its estate under water,” said Morgan. “We take health and safety and security extremely seriously and marine research is a dangerous operating environment. Whilst we are tolerant of minority views, trespassers putting themselves and others at risk is a matter for the Police to deal with.”