MOSCOW, May 27 (RAPSI) – The Dutch police have arrested 30 Greenpeace activists for blocking the Saturn oil rig chartered by Russia’s Gazprom Neft at the Dutch port of Ijmuiden, the environmental group reported on Tuesday.

It took the police five hours to clear the facility of protesters, but eventually they detained six mountain climbers who had scaled the oil rig. No charges have been brought against them yet.

After the incident the Gazprom rig continued its progress toward its loading point and on to the Arctic field, a Gazprom Neft spokesman told RIA Novosti, adding that the voyage continued on schedule.

The Saturn rig will drill one exploration well at the Dolginskoye field in the Pechora Sea, the oil producer said. It will not be used for production. The plan is to complete the drilling job before the ice season begins (in November) and leave the oilfield. Exploration will continue at Dolginskoye over the next few years.

The environmental activists came to public attention previously in September 2013 when they tried to scale another Gazprom rig at the Prirazlomnoye field. Their vessel was detained and a piracy case was opened against them. Later these charges were changed, and the activists were eventually amnestied.