Two protesters chain themselves to Shell Oil ship

BELLINGHAM -- At least two activists chained themselves to a Shell Oil vessel docked in the Port of Bellingham Friday, U.S. Coast Guard officials said.

Officials confirmed the activists were chained to a portion of "The American Trader" ship, likely in protest of Shell Oil's continued exploration of Arctic drilling.

The protesters were first spotted around 5 a.m. No attempt to remove them had been made at 6:40 a.m., officials said.

A spokeswoman for the group says they are in good spirits, comfortable in their slings and excited to be there.

Shell has seen a bevy of protests in and around the Pacific Northwest in recent months, especially as the Arctic drilling machine the Polar Pioneer docked in Seattle. 

This story is breaking and will be updated as more information becomes available.