The mayor of Bordeaux has called for a complete ban on cruise ships docking in the city centre amid complaints the vessels are an “eyesore” and “cause environmental damage”

Speaking to local news agency AFP, Pierre Hurmic reportedly said: “More and more people in Bordeaux are being disturbed by the arrival of cruise ships in the city centre, and it’s becoming increasingly unpleasant.”

The French city’s government has already limited the number of ships allowed to dock in Port de la Lune to 40 a year, but Hurmic is seeking a total boycott after claiming vessels cause pollution and ruin the local landscape.

An alternative mooring spot, further north on the right bank of the Garonne, has been proposed by local authorities, with a river shuttle ferrying passengers between the new location and the city centre.

However, speaking to regional newspaper Sud Ouest in July, the president of the Bordeaux-Gironde Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Patrick Sequin, said moving the docking site would have “heavy consequences” for the city’s trade.

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Potential Bordeaux boycott latest in string of cruise bans

Currently, the port can accommodate ships measuring a maximum of 262 metres. Lines which offer calls in Bordeaux include Oceania Cruises, Silversea, Princess Cruises, Ambassador Cruise Line, Celebrity Cruises and Fred Olsen Cruise Lines.

It comes after Amsterdam City Council earlier this year announced plans to relocate its cruise terminal away from the city centre by 2035 in a bid to combat “nuisance” and over-tourism.

Cruise Trade News has approached CLIA for comment.