Cruise & Cruise Line

Climate Change Activists Delay Cruise Ship in Germany

Image: PHOTO: Holland America Line's Zuiderdam. (photo courtesy of Holland America Line)
Image: PHOTO: Holland America Line's Zuiderdam. (photo courtesy of Holland America Line)
Patrick Clarke
by Patrick Clarke
Last updated: 5:17 PM ET, Mon June 10, 2019

Dozens of activists blocked a cruise ship from leaving port in Germany over the weekend.

Holland America Line's Zuiderdam cruise ship was delayed from leaving port in Kiel for several hours on Sunday night.

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Newsweek identified the group as "Smash Cruises**t" and reported they used small boats to block the ship. The group also hung a banner that read "cruises kill climate."

"We will no longer allow Pacific States to sink into the sea because holidaymakers lie in the pool and while they wait to travel from city to city," the group said in a statement via Fox News. "In recent years, we have distributed flyers again and again here at the terminal. However, the Kiel seaport has always tried to limit our freedom of assembly in every conceivable way and prevented us from turning to passengers."

"Now we are obviously in the way and making it clear: We will not tolerate the operation and a further expansion of cruises."

The cruise line confirmed the incident in a statement.

"Zuiderdam was delayed from departing the port of Kiel, Germany due to demonstration activities in the port," Holland America Line said in a statement. "The ship sailed at 9:55 p.m. local time for Copenhagen, Denmark, as planned and arrived June 10 at 9 a.m., two hours later than originally scheduled. The ship departed Copenhagen June 10 on its regularly scheduled 14-day Northern Isles voyage."

Last week, Carnival Corporation & plc agreed to pay a $20 million penalty as part of a settlement with federal prosecutors after authorities found it was the largest cruise line still polluting oceans.


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Patrick Clarke

Patrick Clarke

Senior Editor

A Maryland native and wanderer who has lived across the U.S. from North Carolina to SoCal, Patrick Clarke graduated from Towson University with a B.S. in journalism. He previously worked for Bleacher

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