Shell and the environmental campaign group Greenpeace have reached a settlement in a multimillion-pound lawsuit over an at-sea protest.
The oil firm initiated the case in London, described by Greenpeace as an act of “intimidation”, following an incident in January of the previous year where four activists boarded a production vessel while it was in transit near the Canary Islands.
The activists, who were protesting against oil drilling, used ropes to climb onto the vessel from inflatable boats that were pursuing the ship at high speed.
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They remained on board until the vessel reached Norway two weeks later.
Shell filed the lawsuit on the grounds that boarding a moving vessel at sea was “unlawful and extremely dangerous.” The company also cited increased costs, such as heightened security measures, in the aftermath of the protest.
Boats carrying protesters are seen before the platform was boarded on 31 January. Pic: Greenpeace
Greenpeace confirmed it agreed to pay £300,000 to the Royal National Lifeboat Institute as part of the settlement.
The organization also agreed to refrain from protesting at four Shell sites in the northern North Sea for a period of time.
However, Greenpeace stated that there were no intentions to cease protests in the broader North Sea region.
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The group asserted that Shell, which had initially sought approximately £700,000, withdrew from the case as it had become a “PR burden.” Greenpeace International mentioned that the settlement came after over a year of ongoing campaigning against Shell’s lawsuit.
Experts described the case as a strategic lawsuit against public participation (SLAPP), a form of abusive lawsuit commonly used by wealthy corporations to silence critics.
Under the final settlement, the Greenpeace defendants accepted no liability and made no financial payment to Shell. Shell indicated that Greenpeace’s agreement to contribute to the RNLI acknowledged concerns regarding the safety risks posed by the protest at sea.
Shell expressed satisfaction that the dispute had been resolved and that a payment in lieu of the incurred costs would benefit a charity focusing on maritime safety.
Shell emphasized that the right to protest was fundamental and not contested. The case centered on the illegal boarding of protesters, which a High Court judge deemed risky to both their lives and the lives of the crew.
The judge also affirmed that Greenpeace could still protest from a safe distance without violating their human rights.
The agreement was reached as Greenpeace continues to be involved in a separate case challenging the government’s approval of development plans for Shell’s Jackdaw gas field.