A US District Court judge in Alaska issued an order late Tuesday that narrowed a preliminary injunction barring Greenpeace USA from interfering with Shell's exploration efforts.
The injunction now covers Shell's drilling and support vessels in the US exclusive economic zone, mainly Outer Continental Shelf waters off Alaska's Arctic coasts. Previously, the injunction applied broadly to all Shell vessels in US territorial waters or ports.
The effect of the order, originally issued March 28, also reaffirmed the injunction for Alaskan waters.
"We are very pleased that the Alaska District Court modified the existing preliminary injunction," Shell spokesman Curtis Smith said. "Greenpeace activists have consistently endangered the safety of the crews aboard Shell-chartered vessels and this ruling could add an additional measure of safety for our personnel and assets during the summer drilling season."
Greenpeace activists boarded the Shell-chartered Noble Discoverer drillship in New Zealand prior to that vessel's departure for the US. Activists also boarded Shell-contracted icebreakers in Finland and attempted at-sea boardings off the coasts of Sweden and Denmark, Shell said in a statement.
