in Marseille, the pollution of cruise ships worries

In June, a dozen canoes blocked cruise ships at the entrance to the port of Marseille (Bouches-du-Rhône). Anger against these maritime activities responsible for increasingly worrying pollution and of which the residents are the first victims. “Here in the neighborhood, we had people in great shape, non-smokers, athletic, dead of cancer in the respiratory tract. This is increasing. We are very worried”says Michèle Rauzier, a local resident.

In Marseille, the giants of the seas are responsible for 39% of nitrogen dioxide emissions, just behind 45% of road traffic. “A ship at dock for one hour in Marseille will be the equivalent of 30,000 vehicles traveling at 30 km/h”, specifies Damien Piga, director of external relations at Atmosud. Local residents’ associations and environmental activists are calling for a total halt to this traffic, which is deemed to run counter to environmental concerns. But for tourism professionals, cruises remain vital to the good economic health of the territory.