7 Apr 2015

NZer boards oil rig in Arctic drilling protest

11:44 am on 7 April 2015

A New Zealander is among six Greenpeace activists who have scaled an oil rig on a transport ship in the Pacific Ocean in protest over Arctic drilling.

Greenpeace activist scaling Shell's oil rig Polar Pioneer in Pacific Ocean to protest against Arctic drilling.

An activist scaling Shell's Polar Pioneer rig in the Pacific Ocean. Photo: Twitter / @WidlundAndreas

The Greenpeace ship Esperanza has been tracking two of Shell's oil rigs for the past month as they head toward Seattle to set up base for oil exploration in the Arctic.

Aucklander Johno Smith, 31, said they climbed the 38,000 tonne rig this morning to raise international awareness of Shell's oil exploration.

"We boarded the rig and we are currently about 50 metres above the sea, and we've built a base camp on a catwalk which is going around one of the legs of the oil rig."

Mr Smith said the rig's crew had been waving at them and taking videos.

A Greenpeace activist scales the Polar Pioneer drill rig in the Pacific Ocean.

A Greenpeace activist scales the Polar Pioneer drill rig in the Pacific Ocean. Photo: Greenpeace / Vincenzo Floramo

A Greenpeace activist scales the Polar Pioneer drill rig in the Pacific Ocean.

A Greenpeace activist scales the Polar Pioneer drill rig in the Pacific Ocean. Photo: Greenpeace / Vincenzo Floramo