''Rainbow Warrior'' (sometimes ''Rainbow Warrior III'') is a purpose-built motor-assisted sailing yacht owned and operated by
Greenpeace
Greenpeace is an independent global campaigning network, founded in Canada in 1971 by a group of Environmental movement, environmental activists. Greenpeace states its goal is to "ensure the ability of the Earth to nurture life in all its biod ...
and intended for use in their activities such as environmental protests and scientific excursions. She was christened on October 14, 2011, replacing ''
Rainbow Warrior II'' after further upgrades and maintenance to the older ship had been shown to be impractical.
[Greenpeace to build £14m flagship](_blank)
- ''The Observer
''The Observer'' is a British newspaper published on Sundays. First published in 1791, it is the world's oldest Sunday newspaper.
In 1993 it was acquired by Guardian Media Group Limited, and operated as a sister paper to ''The Guardian'' ...
'', Sunday 17 January 2010
The vessel is the first ''Rainbow Warrior'' that was not converted from another vessel. Her hull was constructed in
Poland
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It extends from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Sudetes and Carpathian Mountains in the south, bordered by Lithuania and Russia to the northeast, Belarus and Ukrai ...
and she was fitted out in Germany. She has state-of-the-art facilities including advanced
telecommunication
Telecommunication, often used in its plural form or abbreviated as telecom, is the transmission of information over a distance using electronic means, typically through cables, radio waves, or other communication technologies. These means of ...
equipment, specialised scientific equipment, and a helicopter landing pad. The ship is also designed to be one of the "
greenest" ships afloat and, to showcase this quality, it runs primarily using wind power, with a mast system which carries 1255 m
2 (13,500 sq. ft.) of sail. The ship also has
Volvo Penta
Volvo Penta is a Sweden, Swedish marine and industrial engine manufacturer, a joint stock company within the Volvo, Volvo Group. Volvo Penta evolved from a foundry in Skövde 1907, when the first marine automobile engine, marine engine, the B ...
D65A MT 1850 HP
diesel-electric engine and carries up to 110,000 litres (25,000 imp. gal.; 30,000 US gal.)
diesel fuel
Diesel fuel, also called diesel oil, heavy oil (historically) or simply diesel, is any liquid fuel specifically designed for use in a diesel engine, a type of internal combustion engine in which fuel ignition takes place without a spark as a re ...
.
The ship can store up to 59 m
3 (77 cu. yd.) of
greywater
Greywater (or grey water, sullage, also spelled gray water in the United States) refers to domestic wastewater generated in households or office buildings from streams without fecal contamination, i.e., all streams except for the wastewater fro ...
and
blackwater, avoiding the need for disposal at sea. All materials, from the
paint
Paint is a material or mixture that, when applied to a solid material and allowed to dry, adds a film-like layer. As art, this is used to create an image or images known as a painting. Paint can be made in many colors and types. Most paints are ...
work to the
insulation, was chosen with a view to sustainability, and each component has been supplied with transparent
ethical sourcing.
Construction and crowdfunding

Construction of the ship began in the summer of 2010 in Gdansk before being transported to the Fassmer Shipyard near Bremen in Germany to be fitted out before being launched in October 2011. The ship was in part funded by a
crowd funding
Crowdfunding is the practice of funding a project or venture by raising money from a large number of people, typically via the internet. Crowdfunding is a form of crowdsourcing and alternative finance, to fund projects "without standard financial ...
project set up by Greenpeace. Supporters were encouraged to buy parts of the ship through a specifically designed website. Supporters in turn received a certificate for their contribution and had their names etched onto a digital artwork on board the vessel. The website
live-streamed
Livestreaming, live-streaming, or live streaming is the streaming media, streaming of video or Digital audio, audio in real-time communication, real time or near real time. While often referred to simply as ''streaming'', the real-time nature ...
names and messages, tying people directly to the part of the ship they contributed to. The multimedia site was also accompanied by a webcam allowing people to follow the ship's construction up to its launch date.
The project received over 100,000 donors from around the world.
First tour
After its launch in Bremerhaven, Germany, the new ''Rainbow Warrior'' toured ports in Europe (Hamburg, Amsterdam, London, Stockholm and Barcelona) welcoming supporters on board the new ship and holding specific events such as onboard concerts. The ship was also visited by celebrity supporters such as
Radiohead
Radiohead are an English rock band formed in Abingdon-on-Thames, Abingdon, Oxfordshire, in 1985. The band members are Thom Yorke (vocals, guitar, piano, keyboards); brothers Jonny Greenwood (guitar, keyboards, other instruments) and Colin Gre ...
's
Thom Yorke
Thomas Edward Yorke (born 7 October 1968) is an English musician who is the vocalist and main songwriter of the rock band Radiohead. He plays guitar, bass, keyboards and other instruments, and is noted for his falsetto. ''Rolling Stone'' desc ...
, who was part of the ship's maiden voyage,
and Michelin two-starred chef Diego Guerrero in Barcelona.
In January 2012, the ship travelled to the East Coast of the US, planning to dock at
New York City
New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
,
Baltimore
Baltimore is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland. With a population of 585,708 at the 2020 census and estimated at 568,271 in 2024, it is the 30th-most populous U.S. city. The Baltimore metropolitan area is the 20th-large ...
,
Southport, North Carolina,
Fort Lauderdale
Fort Lauderdale ( ) is a coastal city located in the U.S. state of Florida, north of Miami along the Atlantic Ocean. It is the county seat of and most populous city in Broward County with a population of 182,760 at the 2020 census, making it ...
and
St. Petersburg, Florida
St. Petersburg is a city in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 258,308, making it the List of municipalities in Florida, fifth-most populous city in Florida and the most populous city in the sta ...
.
In March 2013, the ship travelled to
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...
.
See also
*
''Rainbow Warrior'' (1955)
*
''Rainbow Warrior'' (1957)
*
MV ''Arctic Sunrise''
*
MV ''Esperanza''
*
MV ''Sirius''
*
Legend of the Rainbow Warriors
References
External links
''Rainbow Warrior'' website''Stories from the Rainbow Warrior'' YouTubeGreenpeace orders technologically advanced ''Rainbow Warrior III''(Greenpeace press release, 2 July 2009)
We're gonna need a bigger boat!(Greenpeace press release with artist's impression, 2 July 2009)
Virtual Tour of the ''Rainbow Warrior III'' in Cozumel(360TOURIST Mexico)
{{Greenpeace
Ships built in Bremen (state)
2010s sailing yachts
Ships of Greenpeace
2011 ships
Sailing ships of the Netherlands
Merchant ships of the Netherlands