Cruises in the Wadden Sea: conservationists against new North Sea routes

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Participants in a North Sea cruise in the Corona summer: The tour operators are looking for new destinations in the vicinity

Photo: Daniel Bockwoldt / dpa

German conservationists are mobilizing against new cruises in the Wadden Sea.

Due to the restrictions caused by the corona pandemic, large shipping companies were looking for new destinations in the closer European environment, said Katharina Weinberg, nature conservation officer of the Wadden Sea Protection Station Association.

"Apparently, the Wadden Sea National Park with its islands and halligen is now increasingly coming into focus."

The first tours have already taken place, and more are being advertised.

According to Weinberg, the Hapag Lloyd shipping company headed for the East Frisian island of Borkum with a ship in October.

Sylt is also on the tour plan.

Other shipping companies are also said to be in the starting blocks.

The Wadden Sea is part of the Unesco World Heritage.

"Cruise company undesirable"

"We should set an example on the islands in the Wadden Sea National Park and signal to the large cruise companies that they are not wanted here", demanded Dennis Schaper, station manager of the Wadden Sea protection station on Sylt.

He referred to Eckernförde on the Baltic Sea: From 2022, cruise ships will no longer be allowed in the bay there.

The islands and Halligen are already overburdened by tourist activities, so no additional day visitors are required, says Schaper.

And: because of their draft, large ships cannot call at the quays of the North Sea islands directly.

Passengers would have to be brought ashore in rubber dinghies through the Wadden Sea National Park. This could also cause unrest in areas worthy of protection, warned the conservationists.

Icon: The mirror

clh / dpa