liners and cruise ships in the viewfinder in Marseille

Marseilles (Bouches-du-Rhone) is the leading cruise port in France. After months of pandemic, ocean liners and ferries have returned to a more usual rhythm. Much to Michele’s chagrin Rouziera local resident who sees under her windows the boats repaired under her windows. “We had to close the windows during the summer for the noise and the smell“, she says. Like her, residents of the northern districts have been denouncing for years the pollution generated by the giants of the seas.

Since January 1, 2020, an international rule obliges all ships to reduce their sulfur oxide emissions. According Atmosudit is the accumulation of pollutants that poses a problem. “A ship at berth, if it continues to operate its heat engine, it will continue to emit pollutants, nitrogen oxides and also particles into the atmosphere“, believes Damien pigaofAtmosud. The mayor of Marseille has launched a petition against pollution navy which has already collected more than 26,000 signatures.