Three Cruise Ships Blocked by Wall of Activists in Kayaks

Photo byXR and Stop Croisières

Three cruise ships were blocked from entering the harbor and docking by a group of activists forming a wall in kayaks.

According to news reports, the group of environmental activists from Extinction Rebellion and the “Stop Cruises” collective staged a bold protest on Saturday, September 21, disrupting operations at the port of Marseille.

The protest began around 7 AM when the AIDAstella, a cruise ship with a capacity of 2,000 passengers, was forced to turn around due to the kayak blockade.

Other affected vessels included the MSC World Europa, the sixth-largest cruise ship in the world, and the Costa Smeralda. The blockade also delayed a ferry from Corsica.

The protesters, equipped with life jackets and banners bearing slogans such as “It smells like gas” and “We are very angry with MSC Cruises,” were eventually arrested by authorities.

Photo byJay BeeonUnsplash

The protest highlights growing concerns about the environmental impact of cruise ships. This concern has been addressed by many improvements by cruise ships in recent years, including the use of shore power and LNG fuels.

This is not the first time activists have targeted cruise ships in France. In July, a similar protest took place in Concarneau, where kayaks blocked a cruise ship from docking. The incident forced the cancellation of the ship's stopover.

The protest in Marseille underscores the increasing opposition to cruise tourism in France and other parts of the world.

In recent years, cities like Venice and Amsterdam have taken steps to restrict cruise ship traffic in response to concerns about their environmental impact.