Royal Dutch Shell’s 400-foot-long Arctic drilling rig, the Polar Pioneer, docked in Seattle May 15 despite environmentalists protesting and opposition from the city.
Tug boats brought ship into it’s mooring at Terminal 5 by 5 pm.
About 30 kayaks and other vessels showed to meet the rig as a form of protest but Coast Guard Lt. Dana Warr said there were no arrests.
Shell plans to park the Polar Pioneer and one other drilling rig in Seattle until the Arctic’s drilling season begins in the summer.
Along with protesters there was a showdown with Seattle’s Mayor Ed Murray who said Shell needed a new permit in order to park but Shell retains that their current permits were sufficient.
That same day President Barack Obama announced that experts have concluded that Shell has developed strong safeguards for their proposed Arctic drilling.
The president said he is committed to reducing carbon emissions. But he says consumers will still need fossil fuels during a transition to other energy sources.
He says he would rather rely on oil and gas extracted in the U.S. under federal regulations than from foreign sources.
*Photo courtesy By PHUONG LE with Associated Press*