GREENPEACE’S ship the Rainbow Warrior has been spotted moored up in Poole Harbour.

The charity's website states the sailing ship has been 'patrolling oceans around the world' with Greenpeace since 2011.

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However, Rainbow Warrior is a name the organisation has sailed with since 1978.

Arriving in Dorset on Tuesday, September 14, the sailing ship had made its way over from the Netherlands; where it departed on September 10 reports vesselfinder.

Bournemouth Echo: Greenpeace's Rainbow Warrior sailing ship moored in Poole Harbour, picture by Vikki Slade

Rainbow Warrior is a purpose-built motor-assisted sailing ship which primarily uses wind power, with a 55m mast system carrying 1255 sq meters of sail.

The vessel forms part of a fleet of three for the international organisation and is used across the world with the aim of protecting the planet and fighting for environmental justice.

The three boats are fundamental to Greenpeace’s activities and have taken part in a variety of different expeditions around the globe.

Bournemouth Echo: Greeenpeace's Rainbow Warrior sailing ship moored in Poole Harbour, picture by Andy Storey

Collectively the fleet has been involved in obstructing nuclear tests in the Pacific, documenting plastics in the oceans and conducting research into the effects of climate change in the Arctic.

The trio has also stopped shiploads of illegal timber leaving the Amazon, brought humanitarian aid to communities hit with extreme weather and collaborated with authorities over illegal fishing operations in West Africa.

Onboard the boat's crew is made up of people from a variety of backgrounds including captains, marine engineers, doctors, cooks and deckhands.

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Greenpeace confirmed the vessel was in the area prior to it monitoring fisheries off the south coast.

A spokesperson for the charity said: "The Rainbow Warrior will be doing some marine protected area and fisheries monitoring work for the next few weeks off the south west coast of Cornwall. I believe prior to this the Rainbow Warrior was up in Scotland doing work on our oil campaign, fighting for a just transition for oil workers to renewables."