Seven Seas Mariner, a luxury cruise ship owned by Regent Seven Seas Cruises, experienced significant delays entering IJmuiden, Netherlands, due to a blockade by environmental activists at the port’s locks.
The unexpected halt just 19 miles from Amsterdam disrupted the travel plans of up to 700 passengers and 445 crew members who were concluding a 20-night Northern Europe segment of the ship’s 83-night “Grand Arctic Adventure.”
The blockade occurred on August 11, 2024, when eight members of the group Extinction Rebellion, targeting the environmental impact of cruise operations, chained themselves to the lock gates.
Passengers aboard the Seven Seas Mariner faced several hours of delays as local authorities worked to clear the activists and reopen the pathway.
The environmental “rebels” claim the 12-deck cruise ship is “an example of unprecedented luxury that seems to be reserved only for the richest in the world,” and “ships like the Seven Seas Mariner exacerbate the crisis we are in the middle of.”
Despite the ship’s high environmental ratings and efforts through its “Sail & Sustain” initiative, protestors argue it is not enough.
“In 2022, the Seven Seas Mariner at Friends of the Earth received a B rating, which means ‘satisfactory,’” the group said. “But this ‘satisfactory’ is a comparison with other cruise ships and therefore says nothing about how polluting they are, compared to other ways of holidaying.”
No arrests were made, and the ship arrived in Amsterdam at 10 p.m., more than four hours behind schedule. The ship is currently in Bruges, Belgium, and will conclude its tour in Barcelona on August 24, 2024.
The blockade came a day after the protestors had successfully stopped Royal Caribbean International’s Jewel of the Seas from entering port in Amsterdam. Instead, the cruise ship was diverted to IJmuiden and was forced to hire buses to transport passengers between IJmuiden and Amsterdam.
Cruise Industry Advances Towards Sustainability
Friends of the Earth, an environmental advocacy group that conducts rigorous evaluations of industries impacting the environment, including the cruise sector, gave Regent Seven Seas Cruises a “C+” report card when it reviewed the company in 2022.
While the entire report featured mixed reviews and noted efforts in sewage treatment while pointing out deficiencies in air pollution control, Seven Seas Mariner specifically received a “B” with an A in water quality compliance, a B- in air pollution reduction, and a C in sewage treatment.
Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ “Sail & Sustain” program focuses on reducing the cruise line’s ecological impact. The program emphasizes compliance with international environmental regulations, such as the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, and standards set by the U.S. Coast Guard and the Environmental Protection Agency.
Additionally, the cruise line utilizes technology like Advanced Wastewater Purification systems and energy-efficient practices to minimize its footprint.
The cruise industry is committed to reaching net-zero carbon emissions across the globe by 2050. The Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA)’s goals align with the Paris Agreement and the International Maritime Organization’s strategy for greenhouse gas reduction.
CLIA projects that 98 percent of new ships will be equipped with shoreside electricity capacity by 2028 and that 61 percent of new builds are expected to use liquified natural gas (LNG) as a primary fuel.
Additionally, over 79 percent of the global fleet now uses Exhaust Gas Cleaning Systems (EGCS), and 78 percent of the current fleet capacity is equipped with advanced wastewater treatment systems.
