Shell Offshore, Inc. v. Greenpeace, Inc.

Greenpeace moved to dismiss. The court granted the motion in part, dismissing the public nuisance and tortious interference claims, but declined to dismiss the other causes of action. It also expanded a previously granted restraining order blocking activists from barricading or occupying the company’s ships bound for the Arctic.

Shell filed a lawsuit in Alaska federal court seeking to block environmental activists from barricading or occupying its drilling ship bound for the Arctic. The company alleged that Greenpeace members unlawfully boarded its ship in New Zealand and chained themselves to drilling equipment meant to stop the ship from reaching the Chukchi Sea. The company alleged causes for action for, among other things, nuisance, piracy, malicious mischief on the high seas, tortious interference with contractual relations, trespass, false imprisonment, and reckless endangerment.