AmericasOffshore

‘Shell no’ flotilla gets ‘Festival of Resistance’ off to colourful start

Seattle: The so-called “Festival of Resistance” got off to a colourful and noisy start on Seattle bay as hundreds environmentalists in kayaks and other small boats protested against Shell’s planned Arctic drilling campaign.

Like gnats around an elephant, the small craft made for a stark contrast with the massive size of the Polar Pioneer rig, the first of two huge platforms that Shell intends to deploy in the Chukchi Sea off of Alaska in coming weeks.

Rallying under the theme “Shell No”, the protestors’ craft gathered in formation as the occupants brandished banners conveying anti-drilling sentiments.

The second rig, the Noble Discoverer is expected to arrive in Seattle waters soon.

On Monday last week the US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management gave conditional approval to Shell’s plan, the condition being that the company can prove they have adequate provision for containment and clean-up should an oil spill happen in the Arctic.

Donal Scully

With 28 years experience writing and editing for newspapers in the UK and Hong Kong, Donal is now based in California from where he covers the Americas for Splash as well as ensuring the site is loaded through the Western Hemisphere timezone.
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