Legal Ruling Puts the Brakes on Port Nice Cruise Caps

A court in Nice has overturned Mayor Christian Estrosi’s decree that restricted the number of cruise passengers allowed at the ports of Nice and Villefranche-sur-Mer, ruling the measure to be unlawful and outside his jurisdiction. The court made this decision on July 13, just four days after Estrosi issued the ordinance, which aimed to mitigate environmental impacts and safeguard marine life.

The decree sought to limit cruise arrivals in Nice to vessels with no more than 450 passengers and in Villefranche-sur-Mer to one ship daily, accommodating up to 2,500 passengers. This initiative faced immediate scrutiny when the Voyager of the Seas docked in Villefranche with over 3,100 passengers on July 11. Estrosi attempted to confront the ship’s captain about this discrepancy but was prevented from boarding due to maritime protocol, escalating the situation into a public spectacle.

The challenge to Estrosi’s decree came from the prefect of Alpes-Maritimes, who pointed out that regulations regarding maritime traffic fall under state authority rather than municipal governance, thus rendering Estrosi’s order invalid.

In response to the court’s ruling, Estrosi signaled a potential legal challenge to the State for perceived failures in environmental protection, should national regulations continue to allow large cruise ships. His statements attracted criticism from environmental advocates and the Cruise Lines International Association, who accused him of politicizing marine policy.

With the court’s ruling, Estrosi’s limitations are effectively suspended, leading to discussions expected to begin in September aimed at creating a legally sound management framework for cruise ships that balances coastal preservation with industry needs along the Côte d’Azur.

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