While reports in the consumer media indicate that Cannes, France, has banned certain cruise ships – those burning fuel with more than 0.1 percent sulfur – the reality is less dramatic.
A spokesperson for Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) tells Travel Agent that, under current regulations in Europe, ships are already required to switch to fuel with a maximum of 0.1 percent sulfur when in berth for more than two hours, regardless of which port they were in. Under the new regulations in Cannes, ships will simply be required to switch to the cleaner fuel while approaching the berth. CLIA says that all of its members visiting Cannes will be able to meet these requirements.
The confusion recalls this summer’s confusion over Venice’s cruise ship “ban,” which in reality involved rerouting large cruise ships away from a terminal in the city’s historic center to other terminals across the lagoon on the Italian mainland.
Large cruise ships in popular destinations like Venice have become increasingly emblematic of overtourism, an issue that has been garnering increasing attention in the travel industry. Travel Leaders Group, for example, recently announced a new initiative to analyze the ways in which the tourism industry impacts the destinations in which it operates in order to come up with more sustainable ways for travel advisors, destinations and suppliers to manage tourism.
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