GREENPEACE activists have ended their blockade of an oil drill ship after the vessel’s operator won a second court order against the group.
Environmentalists brought Chevron’s Stena Carron to a standstill for two-and-a-half days by placing themselves in front of her, around 100 miles north of Shetland.
Swimmers and kayakers from Greenpeace ship Esperanza surrounded the ship to stop her drilling an exploratory well in 1,640ft of water in the Lagavulin field.
The group said last night it pulled the protesters out of the water after Chevron was granted an interdict at the Court of Session in Edinburgh. The Esperanza, however, would remain in the area to “monitor the situation”.
Speaking from the vessel, activist Ben Stewart said: “We will stay in the area and see what the lawyers say about the interdict. We are disappointed to stop the protest as it was a remarkable thing to be paddling in front of a huge ship and just putting our bodies in front of it and stopping it.
“It was a remarkable achievement and we hope there are still opportunities for us to campaign against this irresponsible deepwater drilling.”
Greenpeace activists spent four days last week in a “survival pod” dangling off the ship’s anchor to stop her leaving Lerwick.
They ended the protest at about 5pm on Saturday after Chevron was granted an interdict.
The interdict ordered the campaigners to move on safety grounds.