Ships have always been at the heart of Greenpeace’s activism. Tirelessly travelling across the globe, our ships are a source of inspiration for millions. 2022 was a special year for us as we bid a fond farewell to the Esperanza and welcomed the Witness to the Greenpeace family of ships, which also includes the Rainbow Warrior and the Arctic Sunrise.

Looking back, it’s been quite a ride for our ships. Our ships have also been instrumental as vessels of peace, especially in the tense climate of the war in Ukraine. 

To honour the journey that 2022 has been, let’s look at some inspiring pictures of our iconic ships as they sail the seas on missions, protests and campaigns to protect our planet and fight for environmental justice. 

The Greenpeace ship SY Witness sails away from the Netherlands for her maiden voyage and first mission. © Marten  van Dijl / Greenpeace © Marten  van Dijl / Greenpeace
The Greenpeace ship SY Witness sails away from the Netherlands for her maiden voyage and first mission. © Marten  van Dijl / Greenpeace
Emma Thompson on board the Greenpeace Rainbow Warrior in Venice supports the European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) to ban fossil fuel advertisements and sponsorships in the European Union holding a banner against greenwashing. If the petition collects one million signatures in a year, the European Commission is obliged to respond to the proposal. © Greenpeace / Lorenzo Moscia © Greenpeace / Lorenzo Moscia
Emma Thompson on board the Greenpeace Rainbow Warrior in Venice supports the European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) to ban fossil fuel advertisements and sponsorships in the European Union holding a banner against greenwashing. If the petition collects one million signatures in a year, the European Commission is obliged to respond to the proposal. © Greenpeace / Lorenzo Moscia
Greenpeace activists from Croatia, Hungary, Poland and Ireland have scaled the gas rig Ivana B in the north of the Adriatic Sea, some 50 kilometres away from the Croatian coast. Activists unfolded a banner with the image of Ursula von der Leyen calling the President of the European Commission to plan a phase-out of fossil gas by 2035 and boost energy transition towards renewables in the European Union. © Bojan-Haron Markicevic / Greenpeace © Bojan-Haron Markicevic / Greenpeace
Greenpeace activists from Croatia, Hungary, Poland and Ireland have scaled the gas rig Ivana B in the north of the Adriatic Sea, some 50 kilometres away from the Croatian coast. Activists unfolded a banner with the image of Ursula von der Leyen calling the President of the European Commission to plan a phase-out of fossil gas by 2035 and boost energy transition towards renewables in the European Union. © Bojan-Haron Markicevic / Greenpeace
Greenpeace activists aboard the Arctic Sunrise documented and reported transshipment on the high seas, which facilitates illegal, unregulated or unreported fishing. From the water and with the message: "Protect the Argentine Sea", they exposed the practices carried out by these fishing boats 400km from the Valdés Peninsula, an area known as the Blue Hole, on the edge of Argentina's exclusive economic zone. The Arctic Sunrise ship has been carrying out research and monitoring of overfishing in the Blue Hole for several weeks, as part of its campaign to protect the Argentine Sea. © Martin Katz / Greenpeace
Greenpeace activists aboard the Arctic Sunrise documented and reported transhipment on the high seas, which facilitates illegal, unregulated or unreported fishing. From the water and with the message: “Protect the Argentine Sea”, they exposed the practices carried out by these fishing boats 400km from the Valdés Peninsula, an area known as the Blue Hole, on the edge of Argentina’s exclusive economic zone. The Arctic Sunrise ship has been carrying out research and monitoring of overfishing in the Blue Hole for several weeks, as part of its campaign to protect the Argentine Sea. © Martin Katz / Greenpeace
The Greenpeace ship Arctic Sunrise arrived in Buenos Aires tours of the entire length of the Atlantic coast, from Ushuaia to Buenos Aires, in a crusade against illegal and uncontrolled fishing, seismic explorations for the search for hydrocarbons and plastic pollution of the seas. © Guido Piotrkowski / Greenpeace
The Greenpeace ship Arctic Sunrise arrived in Buenos Aires tours of the entire length of the Atlantic coast, from Ushuaia to Buenos Aires, in a crusade against illegal and uncontrolled fishing, seismic explorations in the search for hydrocarbons and plastic pollution of the seas. © Guido Piotrkowski / Greenpeace
Crew from the Rainbow Warrior pose for the United for Climate Justice campaign, in the Mediterranean Sea near Egypt. © Andrew McConnell / Greenpeace © Andrew McConnell / Greenpeace
Crew from the Rainbow Warrior pose for the United for Climate Justice campaign, in the Mediterranean Sea near Egypt. © Andrew McConnell / Greenpeace
The Ammonite boulder is placed in the sea. Greenpeace UK place 18 limestone boulders on the seabed in the South West Deeps Marine Protected Area to block destructive industrial fishing. Campaigners and crew on board Greenpeace ship Arctic Sunrise sail to the western English Channel to make a portion of the South West Deeps off-limits to bottom-trawling. © Kristian Buus / Greenpeace © Kristian Buus / Greenpeace
The Ammonite boulder is placed in the sea. Greenpeace UK place 18 limestone boulders on the seabed in the South West Deeps Marine Protected Area to block destructive industrial fishing. Campaigners and crew on board Greenpeace ship Arctic Sunrise sail to the western English Channel to make a portion of the South West Deeps off-limits to bottom-trawling. © Kristian Buus / Greenpeace
The Rainbow Warrior crew hoists an anti-war message in the Mediterranean to call for peace in the Ukraine. © Nicoletta Zarifi / Greenpeace
The Rainbow Warrior crew hoists an anti-war message in the Mediterranean to call for peace in Ukraine. © Nicoletta Zarifi / Greenpeace