Discover the Safa-Searcher: Ratings & Maritime News

On January 31, 2018, law enforcement officials successfully removed and arrested three Greenpeace activists who had engaged in a direct action by chaining themselves to the supply ship 'Mermaid Searcher' at Port Taranaki. The protesters boarded the vessel in the early hours, attaching themselves to a mast and a railing to express their dissent against the oil exploration operations conducted by the vessel 'Amazon Warrior'. This ship has been actively working off the coast of Taranaki for the past three months. As safety for both the protesters and the port staff became a concern, authorities prioritized the prompt and secure disembarkation of the activists, especially with inclement weather on the horizon. The activists were subsequently issued trespass notices by the local police. Meanwhile, a small contingent of Greenpeace supporters gathered at the Lee Breakwater nearby, as police maintained a watchful presence at the scene of the protest.