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The captain of the 'Rainbow Warrior' and four Greenpeace activists, namely Sam Rodrigues (Mexico), Alex Wilson (UK), Ash (Taiwan), and Jens (Germany) made their first appearance in a South Korean court on May 16, 2025, on charges related to an incident on Nov 30, 2024, where they boarded the Japanese-owned LPG tanker 'Buena Alba', which was anchored off South Korea. They have been detained in the country since after the protest in which they used the ship to call for a strong international plastics treaty ban. The protest was coordinated to the fifth round of negotiations for a UN Global Plastic Treaty that was taking place in Busan, South Korea. The 'Rainbow Warrior' was conducting a “Sailing for Change” tour in Eastern Asia and coordinated a visit to the scheduled negotiations. They were all being charged with obstruction of business and unlawful intrusion onto a vessel according to the Korean Yonhap news agency. They report that the court continues to prohibit the five from leaving the country. The group staged a protest outside the court as part of a campaign calling for the release of its members so that they can return home to their families. They also called for a quick conclusion to the trial, and at the same time, repeated their calls for the Plastics Treaty. The four protestors had set off from the 'Rainbow Warrior' for one of the group's typical protests that involve banners to draw attention to their cause. The protestors displayed banners calling for the treaty and painted the words “Plastics Kill” on the side of the tanker and also boarded the ship and climbed its mast to unfurl their banners. Greenpeace contended it was a peaceful protest and put no one in danger, while the tanker was waiting to load chemicals at the Hyundai Daesan Refinery. The South Korean police took the four into custody along with the captain of the 'Rainbow Warrior' and held them for nearly two days during the investigation. While they were released, they were ordered to remain in South Korea for the outcome of the investigation.

Russia has detained the 'Green Admire' on May 18, 2025, after it left Sillamae port on May 17 at 6.40 pü.m. GMT, using a designated navigation channel that crosses Russian territorial waters. The navigation channel out of Sillamae through Russian territorial waters has been set up under an agreement between Estonia, Finland and Russia to avoid shallows in the Estonian waters. The Estonian foreign Minister Margus Tsahknaalerted NATO allies to the incident, as the incident showed that Russia continues to behave unpredictably. After the detention, the AIS signal showed obvious signs of spoofing, as is common in this region: On the afternoon of May 18 the tanker was anchored near Russia’s Hogland island in pos. 60° 02' N 027° 03' E. The ship was bound for Rotterdam with a load of Estonia’s shale oil. Vessels sailing into and out of the port of Sillamae will now be guided through Estonian territorial waters.

A Rotterdam judge has lifted the seizure of the 'Esra C' through summary proceedings in Rotterdam. The seizure was imposed in Amsterdam by a fuel supplier. According to the judge, the measure proved untenable in a tangle of international laws and regulations.

Estonia has accused Russia of creating a serious threat to the NATO after a Russian fighter jet disrupted operations by the Estonian Navy to inspect the unflagged 'Jaguar', which is believed to be part of Russia's shadow fleet that Moscow is using to avoid international sanctions imposed over its war in Ukraine. The vessel refused to cooperate when asked to stop on May 15. Russia sent a fighter jet to check the situation, which violated NATO territory for close to one minute. Russia has not commented on the incident.

On May18, 2025, the SAR helicopter Helimer 222 medevaced a sick passenger from the 'GNV Cristal', en route from Sète to Tanger Med, about 43 nautical miles from Dragonera. The patient was hoisted from the ship and taken to the hospital Son Espases for further treatment on a higher medical level.