New rules to limit cruise ship size off Cannes

The French Riviera attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists every year—including a growing number of cruise ship guests. But now the city of Cannes is putting strict limits on the influx from the sea.

As reported by «Spiegel», no two cruise ships will be allowed to anchor in the bay at the same time. Large ships with more than 3,000 passengers will now be limited to one per day. The new limit for the total number of cruise ship passengers is 6,000 per day.

According to the city administration, the decisions will reduce the number of large ships arriving off Cannes by almost 50 percent—​​initially to 34 next year and then 31 in 2027. Starting around 2030, environmental regulations will limit cruise ships anchoring off Cannes to a maximum capacity of 1,300 passengers.

Cannes lacks a deep-water port capable of accommodating today’s mega cruise ships. As a result, large vessels must anchor roughly 300 meters offshore, with passengers transported to land via smaller ferries. The process is not only logistically challenging but also adds to maritime traffic in the already busy coastal waters.

The city’s decision has drawn sharp criticism from the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), which called the measure an unjustified restriction on an industry that supports the economic vitality of port cities. «Millions of people have the opportunity to discover new places through cruises,» the association said in a statement, defending the sector’s role in global tourism.