ACTION: Greenpeace boards vessel in protest
26 September 2026: Activists today boarded a government-owned vessel to send a clear message: Aotearoa must not be complicit in Trump’s minerals grab.
Tell the New Zealand Government to say no to deep sea mining in the Pacific.
New Zealand vessel doing USA’s dirty work
The Tangaroa, a state -funded ship, has just finished surveying deep sea minerals for Glomar – an American company that will use the research to help it start deep sea mining in the Pacific Ocean.
Activists dressed as Trump unfurled an American flag, protesting the role New Zealand is playing in Trump’s attempts to bypass international law and start deep sea mining in the Pacific.
Latest news
3.55pm 26 September
Waatea News: Greenpeace boards Tangaroa in deep-sea mining showdown
12.50pm 26 September
After seven hours of occupying the Tangaroa, the activists were removed by police.
Greenpeace campaigner Juressa Lee says: “I’m so proud of the activists who took a stand for what they believe in. The opposition to deep sea mining is strong and growing. Anyone trying to start this destructive practice will face resistance.”
12.36pm 26 September
Radio NZ: Greenpeace activists board NZ research vessel Tangaroa
Join the call: Stop deep sea mining!
Juressa Lee, Greenpeace campaigner
“I went head to head recently with our Foreign Minister Winston Peters when I called out the imperialist interference of the US and these companies.
Peters accused me of ‘pure racism’ and ‘white colonialism’. I responded that, as a Cook Islander, my concern for what happens in our ancestral waters is deeply personal. What’s colonial is our government acting as a lapdog, aligning with Trump’s Pacific agenda.
From negotiating a deal with the US, so Trump can stockpile New Zealand minerals for weapons; to co-funding a port in the Cook Islands with the US.
The Pacific region overwhelmingly rejects deep sea mining. 46 countries, including Aotearoa, support an international moratorium on mining the sea floor of the Pacific.
Greenpeace stands with people across the region who say to the USA: the ocean is not yours to destroy!“
10.52am 26 September
1 News: Greenpeace activists occupy Govt research ship in deep sea mining protest
9.38am 26 September
NZ Herald: Greenpeace occupies Government research ship in Wellington over deep-sea mining survey
9.20am 26 September
Stuff News: ‘NZ being a US puppet’: Greenpeace boards research vessel
Juressa Lee, Greenpeace campaigner
“The New Zealand Government seems to be aligning with Trump’s imperialist extractive agenda, instead of standing with our Pacific neighbours.
“From negotiating a minerals deal so Trump can stockpile New Zealand minerals for weapons, to co-funding a port in the Cook Islands with the US, to sending our state-owned assets to work for a rogue industry working to exploit the last wilderness on the planet, our government is cozying up to this rogue and destructive regime.
“We had to call it out and call it what it is: New Zealand being a US puppet.”
8.31am 26 September
Press release: Greenpeace boards Government-owned vessel in deep sea mining protest
6.10am 26 September
Activists today have boarded a New Zealand government -owned vessel to send a clear message: Aotearoa must not be complicit in Trump’s minerals grab.
Greenpeace Aotearoa is calling for a ban on deep sea mining in the Pacific.
Your support
Your support can help us to keep taking bold action and keep mining machines out of the Pacific. Greenpeace is building a movement to stop deep sea mining before it starts, and we need you with us. Stand with us to send a clear message to Trump: the Pacific Ocean is not yours to plunder, and we will resist you at every turn.
Please give today to help fund our fight to stop this destructive industry before it begins.
Media contact
Emma Page – Communications lead, Oceans and Fisheries, Seabed and Deep Sea Mining
021-207-5172 | [email protected]
What is deep sea mining, and why is it bad for the environment?
Deep sea mining is the practice of mining metals and minerals from the seabed. It’s an extremely destructive form of mining that would damage the oceans beyond repair, threatening their ability to help fight climate change.
It’s time for New Zealand to take a stand. Join our call on the New Zealand government to back a global moratorium on seabed mining.
Take Action-
Greenpeace boards Government-owned vessel in deep sea mining protest
Greenpeace activists are occupying a New Zealand state-owned research vessel in Wellington this morning. The Tangaroa has just finished deep sea mineral exploration work for an American company, Glomar, that is vying to start mining in the Pacific as soon as 2027.
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