Shell Icebreaker Retreats After Portland Showdown with Rappel and Kayak Protesters

A Shell Oil icebreaker vessel appears to have retreated after a showdown with environmental activists dangling by ropes from the tallest bridge in Portland, Oregon.

Environmental activists on St. Johns Bridge and kayakers on the water below had been blocking the icebreaker from heading to the Arctic for a drill operation.

But hours later, a federal judge in Alaska ordered the U.S. arm of international environmentalist organization Greenpeace, the main organizer of the blockade, to pay a $2,500 for every hour that protestors continued to block the vessel.

U.S. District Court Judge Sharon Gleason ruled Thursday in Anchorage that Greenpeace is in civil contempt. Gleason in May granted Shell's request that activists protesting Shell's Arctic drilling plans be ordered to stay away from Shell vessels and beyond buffer zones.

The icebreaker Fennica arrived in Portland for repairs last week. The vessel was damaged earlier this month in the Aleutian Islands when it struck an underwater obstruction, tearing a gash in its hull.

It started its journey to the Arctic early Thursday before stalling in the face of 13 dangling activists linked by ropes. It then turned around and inched its way back to Vigor Industrial's dry dock, delighting those gathered on shore in the city known for environmentalism.

"I think it's inspirational," Portland resident Lisa Szot told The Oregonian about Thursday's demonstration. "It's a really beautiful protest."

The U.S. Coast Guard warned the danglers they were breaking the law, but it did not take action. Petty Officer 1st Class George Degener said the agency did not tell those aboard the icebreaker to turn around.

"I don't know what led the master and the pilot on board to come to that decision," he said.

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.

Environmentalists hope to delay the ship long enough for winter weather to prevent Shell from drilling until 2016. By that time, they hope President Barack Obama’s administration has a change of heart on the issue.

"There is no Plan B, just as there is no Planet B; we have no intention of moving until President Obama rescinds the permit for Shell to drill in the Arctic," said Daphne Wysham of the Center for Sustainable Economy.

Shell did not immediately comment Thursday.

Portland police closed the bridge to traffic during the standoff. It was reopened shortly after the icebreaker reversed course.

The activists say they have water and food for the long haul. They also have their phones to stay in the social-media loop.

"The fennica is headed back to its dock where it belongs — not the arctic! #ShellNo," tweeted Dan Cannon, a Greenpeace activist dangling from the bridge.

Originally published by Al Jazeera America