$150,000 for a 360-degree turn

A protest by Greenpeace executive director Russel Norman that caused a ship to turn 360 degrees cost about $150,000.

Norman and two others intercepted the oil-industry survey ship Amazon Warrior off the Wairarapa coast on April 10 last year.

Norman, 50, and fellow activist Sara Howell appeared in Napier District Court via audio-visual link on Monday and pleaded guilty to interfering with the operation of the ship. Another activist, Gavin Mulvay, accepted diversion last year.

The 126-metre, 21,000 tonne Amazon Warrior had surveyed between 20 and 250 kilometres off the east coast between Napier and Cape Palliser from November 2016 until mid-2017, using energy ‘‘pulses’’ to detect rock layers.

The ship towed 14 cables over an area 1.7km wide and 8km long, and could not turn or stop quickly in a safe manner.

Norman and the others left Napier harbour in four vessels including Greenpeace’s Taitu, the privately owned Koputai and two inflatables on April 8.

Just before midday on April 10 the trio donned wetsuits, boarded the inflatable vessels and put themselves in the water in front of the Amazon Warrior.

According to a summary of facts, the Amazon Warrior crew asked the protesters to move. The request was refused.

When the Amazon Warrior took evasive action, turning to port, Norman and the others were rotated in and out of the water in order to stay in the path of the ship. The ship was eventually forced to make a 360-degree turn.

The summary stated that it costs about $400,000 a day to conduct the survey and the evasive action took eight hours, costing Amazon Warrior’s owners Schlumberger about $150,000.

Crown lawyer Cameron Stuart said reparation would be sought.

The pair were remanded on bail for sentencing in July.