Zuiderdam delayed due to protests

[sealynx]

Yesterday the Dutch branch of Extinction Rebellion delayed the departure of MS Zuiderdam from the port of Rotterdam as a form of protest against pollution by cruise ships specifically and climate change in general. Protesters chained themselves to the mooring lines of the ship, unabling crews to let go all lines. Eventually polices officers moved the protesters by only a few meters, so the ship could depart. The eventual delay was about 90 minutes.

 

News article in Dutch (google translate is your best friend here)

[oakridger]

Thank you for this information.  I remember a few years back before the shutdown that protesters delayed some cruise ships.  

 

~Nancy

[Mary229]

Those were lucky passengers, they had a unique cultural experience without too much harm done.  😉

Edited June 12, 2023 by Mary229

[Dr.Dobro]

2 hours ago, Mary229 said:

Those were lucky passengers, they had a unique cultural experience without too much harm done.  😉

 

3 hours ago, sealynx said:

News article in Dutch (google translate is your best friend here)

I would not call this a news article. It appears s to be a press release by the group that organized the protest. It goes into some detail about their point of view and includes a few photos of the protest.

 

The press release says that they delayed Zuiderdam for 90 minutes by locking themselves to the lines. I didn't see that, but it may be true.

 

I did hear the captain announce that the delay was due to difficulty loading and stowing two very large engine components. He also acknowledged the protesters, but only to request that passengers not interact with them.

 

So I can't say what the truth is. I did snap some pictures during the delay. All I could see was the protesters gathered in one area with police and/or security standing by. Maybe the protesters were moved by authorities. Can't say.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[rajkr74]

Am on the Zuiderdam now.  The delay seemed to be more from trying to load all the food, luggage, equipment, and other items than from the protesters. Looked like items and pallets were left on the dock as we pulled away.  Could be wrong since I was looking out the back MDR window as we left.  Protesters were still there. We still got to Dover on time the next morning. In addition the protesters had plastic water bottles and food items in plastic clamshell containers in sacks all around the dock.....what?

They had litte effect on our cruise other than an entertainment interlude.

[FlaMariner]

1 hour ago, rajkr74 said:

In addition the protesters had plastic water bottles and food items in plastic clamshell containers in sacks all around the dock.....what?

 

LOL.

 

Hope they can walk home instead of using carbon spewing transport.

 

"judge not yet you be judged"

 

 

[Dancing Shoes]

12 hours ago, FlaMariner said:

 

LOL.

 

Hope they can walk home instead of using carbon spewing transport.

 

"judge not yet you be judged"

 

 

If Rotterdam is anything like Amsterdam, they will be riding their bicycles. 

[FlaMariner]

Bikes seem to be an environmental hazard in the Netherlands also..........perhaps walking is best?

 

[Haljo1935]

Would be interesting to know if the unloaded pallets were due to the protestors, surplus or had been off loaded for return.

[rj59]

The same thing happened to me several years ago on Zdam, in Kiel, Germany. They had dinghies and kayaks surrounding the ship, and some climbed on the front navigation bulb, whatever it's called. We were delayed by 6 hours or so, since nobody wanted to confront them, so it got really ugly, with passengers on board hurling abuse and threatening them with violence, so my image of polite HAL passengers was tarnished, since so many acted like they were on Jerry Springer. We were late getting back to Copenhagen, and they only rebooked flights for those with HAL flights, which is a good lesson to have flexible plans when arriving and leaving Europe--I made sure I stayed an extra night before leaving, so I was fine. 

[Heidi13]

5 minutes ago, rj59 said:

The same thing happened to me several years ago on Zdam, in Kiel, Germany. They had dinghies and kayaks surrounding the ship, and some climbed on the front navigation bulb, whatever it's called. We were delayed by 6 hours or so, since nobody wanted to confront them, so it got really ugly, with passengers on board hurling abuse and threatening them with violence, so my image of polite HAL passengers was tarnished, since so many acted like they were on Jerry Springer. We were late getting back to Copenhagen, and they only rebooked flights for those with HAL flights, which is a good lesson to have flexible plans when arriving and leaving Europe--I made sure I stayed an extra night before leaving, so I was fine. 

 

It's called a bulbous bow.