As the Shell icebreaker Fennica chugged down the Willamette River in Portland, Oregon, making good time as it moved into the Columbia River, hundreds gathered to boo it adieu.
Thirteen protesters with Greenpeace USA attempted to stop the ship by rappelling down from the St. Johns Bridge. Kayakers also tried to block the icebreaker by swarming the river.
Private drone operator Adam Simmons captured the action from the sky as the Fennica was about to cross under the bridge.
EarthFix reporter Amelia Templeton was at the scene as the ship crossed under the bridge. Protesters weighed down the nearby docks, yelling "Stop the boat!" as the Fennica moved by. Templeton said the ship appeared so close to the protestors paddling nearby that they could have reached out and touched it as it passed.
The Fennica was damaged earlier this month in the Aleutian Islands when it struck an underwater obstruction, tearing a gash in its hull.
It made its way to Portland last Saturday to get patched up.
The icebreaker is a key part of Shell’s exploration and spill-response plan off Alaska’s northwest coast. It protects Shell’s fleet from ice and carries equipment that can stop gushing oil.
https://youtu.be/Jawybw4f7Ho
The Associated Press contributed reporting.