Witness

SY Witness, A Sustainable Witness at Sea

SY Witness is the newest and most environmentally friendly addition to the Greenpeace fleet. The sailing yacht was built in 2003 in South Africa under the name Pelagic Australis. In 2021 the ship underwent a full green refit and was transformed into a Greenpeace ocean vessel. Witness now sails with solar panels, wind turbines, and a modern energy management system. The ship embodies Greenpeace’s core values: sustainability and innovation.

Witness is 22.5 meters long and equipped with a retractable keel and rudder system. This makes the vessel both compact and highly maneuverable. It can access shallow waters that remain out of reach for larger ships.

In early 2022, Witness set out on her first mission under the Greenpeace flag. Together with the Whale Conservation Institute, she patrolled the Argentine Sea. Oil companies were planning seismic surveys there, posing a serious threat to the endangered southern right whale. Witness demonstrated why she has become a symbol of environmental protection: to observe, to document, and to bear witness to what is happening at sea.

The handover of the Pelagic Australis to Greenpeace took place in Cape Town. During a traditional ceremony, the crew officially took the ship into service. They then set sail for Amsterdam, via the Azores. This voyage marked the transition from expedition yacht to an icon of environmental awareness.