Shell’s Arctic drilling fleet is on the move, right now— and was even before the US government approved the final permits. As you read this, Shell is transporting an oil rig, the Polar Pioneer, across the Pacific, bound for the Arctic. And six bold people are following on the Greenpeace ship Esperanza.
From around the world six volunteers — Jens, Johno, Miriam, Andreas, Aliyah and Zoe— are on board the Esperanza making #TheCrossing to act as ambassadors of our movement of millions against Arctic oil drilling.
The six are hoping that we can draw the world’s attention to Shell’s plans and expose the utter insanity of drilling for oil in the Arctic.
Shell thinks its billions have bought it a free pass to drill in the Alaskan Arctic, but the one thing the company fears most is people power — millions together — opposing Arctic drilling. Over six million people around the world have already joined the movement against Arctic drilling. Together we can expose the truth about the company’s dangerous scheme.
This week marks 26 years since the disastrous Exxon Valdez oil spill, and it seems the industry still hasn’t learned from its mistakes. Last time Shell tried to drill in the Arctic, it grounded a drill rig on the Alaskan shore, endangering workers and Alaskan wildlife, and managed to destroy a containment dome.
View of Shell’s oil rig, the Polar Pioneer with the Esperanza in the background
If Shell pumps oil in the Arctic it’s only a matter of time before there is an oil spill that would be virtually impossible to clean up, leaving local people and marine life to suffer the consequences for many years to come. And that’s why our bold volunteers are on the water, shining a light on Shell’s actions.
We’ll keep you updated as events unfold, but you can follow their progress on The Crossing's real time map and live feed. Please share their journey far and wide, so the world can see what Shell is up to.