On Saturday, September 21, at 6:30 a.m., activists from the Extinction Rebellion and Stop Croisières collectives blocked the northern pass of the major seaport of Marseille on canoes to denounce the destruction of maritime heritage by the cruise industry.
MSC World Europa, AIDAstella and Costa Smeralda prevented from docking
The blockade of the 3 cruise ships MSC World Europa, AIDAstella and Costa Smeralda lasted 2 hours before the activists were evacuated by the police. Of the 20 people arrested, all were released early in the afternoon.
This action is part of a series of actions carried out this summer by the European collective ECAN, with a campaign that led to actions carried out in 20 port cities.
Destruction of maritime heritage by the cruise industry
Through this action, the collectives denounce the diversion of the coastline, a common maritime heritage, for a private leisure activity and the enrichment of a few, the economic benefit being captured by cruise companies and not by the city, to the detriment of the health of local residents, the environment and the sea. The coastline, rich in the fresh sea air it could bring, is increasingly becoming a source of nuisance for the people of Marseille, bringing fine particles, soot and lung diseases.
Extinction Rebellion and Stop Croisières oppose the growing place that cruise tourism is taking in the city of Marseille and its port. With 2.5 million cruise passengers received in 2023 (1 million more than the previous year) compared to 1.5 million ferry passengers, the port of Marseille has become above all a cruise port. No collective reflection has been put in place and the people of Marseille have had no say in this development.
This summer was the hottest ever recorded, marine heatwaves are recurring, with a Mediterranean sea at 30 degrees on the surface suffocating marine creatures and natural disasters are becoming more and more frequent (giant fires at the gates of Athens and Madeira, temperature records in the Arctic). Despite repeated calls for sobriety from the UN Secretary General, despite the undeniable and urgent need to reduce our impacts on biodiversity and the climate, the cruise industry continues its race to excess. Always more, always bigger, always more extravagant.
Stop Cruises and Extinction Rebellion call for thinking now about planning the end of cruises, to support the port’s reconversion towards socially useful activities while preserving jobs, to redirect the quay electrification projects towards ferries and the shipyard, to abandon the project of a new luxury cruise terminal at J4 and to open and transparent communication on the health and environmental impacts of the cruise industry.
Let’s take advantage of the European Heritage Days, this year putting maritime heritage in the spotlight, to think collectively about how to promote this common heritage. Do we want to make it an object of consumption or a place of life and hospitality? How can we preserve the richness of this common good, and imagine a sharing that does not jeopardize the health of some for the enrichment of a handful of others?