Greenpeace’s decision to build “one of the greenest” ships has allegedly sparked internal criticism.

The Times reported that several activists of the campaign group voiced concerns over the £45 million expenditure for the new ship.

Leaked documents suggested that Greenpeace wanted to move the plan forward despite the criticism it had received.

Critics question whether the group can afford this new ship and whether this investment is worth it.

In recent months, Greenpeace ships have taken part in campaigns, including building ‘boulder barriers‘ to “block seabed destruction” from the impact of industrial fishing and stopping oil drilling activities.

A Greenpeace spokesperson told ELN: “Our ships are not fancy gadgets but the vital equipment that allows us to expose and tackle environmental harm anywhere and everywhere on our blue planet.

“Without them, we wouldn’t be able to confront destructive fishing and oil drillers at sea or carry out cutting-edge science in remote places like the Antarctic.

“We’ve just retired one of our three ocean-going ships and unless we replace it, our ability to campaign at sea will suffer.

“Instead of just swapping a diesel-engine ship for another, we want to lead the way by building a vessel powered by renewables, setting a model for others to follow.

“The ship won’t just be cleaner, it will carry the tech needed to expose and challenge the rampant destruction of our oceans and climate and provide a platform for work by our allies, especially in communities worst hit by the climate and nature crisis.

“The potential cost of building a new ship will strike some as steep and we will continue to review it until a final decision is made. But we know the fishing and fossil fuel industries are ready to spend tens of millions of pounds on supertrawlers or hundreds of millions on new offshore rigs. If we want to stand up to these powerful industries, we need the right tools to get the job done.”