OSLO, April 25 – Norwegian police said they arrested 20 Greenpeace and Extinction Rebellion activists who on Monday blocked a tanker from delivering Russian oil to an Exxon Mobil terminal.
Activists had tied their red inflatable boat to the Ust Luga’s anchor chain to protest the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Greenpeace said, to prevent an estimated 95,000 tons of oil from being dumped.
“Oil is not only at the root of the climate crisis, but also of wars and conflicts. I am shocked that Norway is acting as a free port for Russian oil, which we know funds Putin’s warfare,” Greenpeace Norway chief Frode Pleym said.
The group called on the Norwegian government to ban imports of Russian fossil fuels and said Exxon Mobil’s Esso unit in Norway (XOM.N) should cancel all contracts on such imports from Russia because of its invasion of Ukraine, which Moscow referred to as a “special military operation”.
Norwegian police later said all activists had been removed from the area.
The Hong Kong-registered Ust Luga is moored outside Esso’s Slagen oil terminal about 70 km (43 miles) south of the capital Oslo, according to ship tracker Marine Traffic.
Esso Norway had agreed to buy the oil before the conflict began and has no plans for further purchases from Russia, a company spokesman told Reuters.
“Esso Norway fully complies with all Norwegian sanctions and we support coordinated international efforts to end Russia’s unprovoked attack,” Esso said in an emailed statement.
The tanker’s cargo will be used to blend marine gas oil for the shipping industry, the company added.
Reporting by Terje Solsvik; Edited by Louise Heavens, David Goodman and Alexander Smith