Cruise Ships Cluttering Italy’s Coast Are An 'Eyesore' To Locals: Here’s Why

As many as 100 cruise ships that have nowhere to go are left anchored off the coast of Italy as the pandemic stripped demand for passengers, causing locals to call the unsightly view an “eyesore.”

The ships have been temporarily docked off the coast for a year and a half now as the cruise industry came to a halt back in March 2020, when cruise lines suspended their operations to prevent the spread of the virus.

Cruise ships were seen as superspreaders at the height of the pandemic, with thousands of cases of COVID-19 reported onboard. Now with strict protocols, cruise lines are beginning to sail again but at a reduced capacity, leaving some ships moored at sea until passenger demand picks up.

According to a report from Fortune, Italian locals are unhappy about the ships blocking their seaside views, along with their annoying sounds and the possible environmental impact to the region. The ships have their motors running, lights on, and small crews onboard to ensure they are in good working order and ready for service when needed, Fortune reported.

Legambiente Liguria, an Italian environmental group, told Fortune there are about 100 large cruise ships parked off the Italian coast. Ships from MSC Cruise and Costa are docked near Rome’s port of Civitavecchia as well as Venice, Palermo, and Syracuse, Fortune said.

One local art curator from La Spezia, Tania Calenda, told Fortune, “They’re an eyesore. We have such a beautiful coastline marred by these massive ships. They’ve been part of our view now for a year and a half. Everyone's tired of having them there.”

With industry estimates suggesting that only one in five commercial cruise ships is currently in use, Gianfranco Lorenzo, head of research at the Center for Touristic Studies in Florence, told Fortune that, “It’s going to take years for the sector to recover to previous levels.”

Stefano Sarti, vice president of Legambiente Liguria, told the news outlet that the organization is considering a petition to request that the Italian government prevent the cruise lines from docking their ships near Italy’s most scenic regions.

“I understand that the ships have to be anchored somewhere, but there must be a balance between the needs of the ship operators and the environmental health of some delicate parts of the country,” Sarti said. “The answer can’t be to turn scenic ports into parking lots for grotesquely large cruise ships.”