Greenpeace Ships

For over 50 years, our ships have been with us, disrupting nuclear tests, protecting whales, conducting science and research, blocking and documenting; we’ve brought humanitarian relief to communities and so much more – our ships are fundamental to Greenpeace campaigns.

Greenpeace Rainbow Warrior ship joins with dozens of fishermen boats of Pari island as they hold an action to save Pari island in Thousands Islands, North Jakarta.

The Rainbow Warrior

The Rainbow Warrior is an undisputed icon and regular visitor to Southeast Asia. Synonymous with breaking boundaries and fearless campaigning, Greenpeace has sailed with the name Rainbow Warrior since 1978. The current Rainbow Warrior (our third incarnation) was our first purpose built ship and has been patrolling the world’s oceans since 2011.

Join our mailing list and we’ll let you know when our flagship is visiting a place near you, in the meantime you can meet Dave the Dolphin right now by taking a virtual tour.

The Arctic Sunrise

Designed as an icebreaker, the Arctic Sunrise has witnessed the wonders of the coldest places on Earth. It’s been part of the Greenpeace fleet since 1995 when it took its first trip to the North Sea to document marine pollution by oil from offshore installations. Since then, the ship has been all over the planet, including the Congo, the Amazon and a three-month expedition to the Antarctic to conduct scientific research on biodiversity in the region.

The Greenpeace sailboat 'Witness' conducts an expedition to Protect The Amazon Coast and document the potential impacts of oil exploration on the Amazon coast in Brazil. The region is home to unique biodiversity, including the Great Amazon Reef System and vast mangroves, which are essential to local communities in terms of food and income. However, the oil industry is advancing in the area, with projects such as the FZA-M-59 block, located in the Foz do Amazonas Basin. The expedition will sail along the coast of Amapá and Pará, in collaboration with researchers from the Institute of Scientific and Technological Research of the State of Amapá (IEPA), to collect data on sea currents and contribute to the understanding and protection of this unique ecosystem.

The Witness

The Witness is the newest and greenest vessel in the Greenpeace fleet. At 22.5 metres long, it is also the smallest and, due to a lifting keel and rudder, is able to navigate shallow waters that are inaccessible to larger ships.

Built in 2003 in South Africa and previously known as Pelagic Australis, the Witness was launched in Greenpeace colours in 2021 and embarked on its first campaign operations in early 2022 following a green refit, which included improvements such as solar panels, wind turbines and an optimised power management system.

Come aboard!

Have you ever dreamed of sailing on a Greenpeace ship? The ship’s core crew is made up of people from a wide range of backgrounds – ranging from captains, mates, and marine engineers to doctors, cooks and volunteer deckhands. It is hard work. But it could be the experience of a lifetime.

Find out more
Crew member Marie-Elise Bettens, a Belgium volunteer on MY Arctic Sunrise.

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