It’s quite alarming how protests against tourists are becoming increasingly common.
This time, we’re reporting on a protest by climate activists who even prevented passengers from disembarking from a ship.
What happened at the port?
The protest took place in Concarneau, France. According to reports, around 20 activists from the “Stop Cruise BZH” collective organized a demonstration to highlight the environmental impact of the cruise ship industry.
Using canoes to block the pier, the protesters prevented the Seven Seas Voyager, a luxury ship operated by Regent Seven Seas Cruises, from docking safely.
The protesters held a large banner reading “We’re the Iceberg,” a pointed reference to the Titanic disaster.
Their actions prevented approximately 700 passengers from disembarking and exploring the French city.
Following the protest, the activists celebrated their actions as a victory. On social media, they stated:
No cruise liners called at Concarneau today.
We did not expect the ship to abandon its stop. For us, this is a success because we’re fighting against luxury cruise ships.
We believe they are an ecological absurdity and a symbol of social inequality
Do cruises really pollute that much?
Cruise ships are indeed harmful to the environment in several ways. However, efforts are being made to mitigate these impacts.
For example, many new cruise ships are starting to use cleaner fuels like LNG (liquefied natural gas). It significantly reduces emissions of sulfur oxides, nitrogen oxides, and particulate matter.
Some cruise lines are also enhancing their waste management practices.
In the article where we saw if cruise ships dump their waste into the ocean, we also saw that many cruise lines implemented extensive recycling programs and advanced sewage treatment systems to minimize marine pollution.
These efforts definitely indicate progress, even if the cruise industry still faces significant environmental challenges.
Is it legitimate to protest in this way?
Surely, it is necessary to respect everyone’s freedom to protest.
However, it is also necessary to consider whether it is right to prevent people from disembarking from the ship for this reason.
People might need to disembark (for very different reasons), and taking away this possibility does not seem right to me.
It is possible to protest in another way, perhaps near the port. I also care that cruise ships increasingly respect the environment, for example, I am trying to travel only on ships that use LNG.
However, I don’t like exaggerations. Let me know what you think in the comments. I always enjoy hearing other opinions on these topics.
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