Christian Estrosi, the Mayor of Nice and President of the Nice Côte d'Azur Metropolis, has announced his intention to sign an order banning the docking of cruise ships with more than 900 passengers at the metropolitan maritime stations.

The signing is scheduled for this Friday at 5:30 PM. This decision follows Estrosi's earlier remarks during a public address, where he expressed his desire to prevent large cruise vessels, which he referred to as 'floating hotels,' from anchoring near Nice.

Estrosi cited environmental concerns and the impact of cruise tourism on the local community as reasons for the regulation.

He criticized the practice of large cruise ships offloading passengers who, according to him, contribute little to the local economy while leaving behind waste.

The announcement has met with mixed reactions.

Juliette Chesnel Le Roux, leader of the ecological opposition in Nice, described the move as 'an immense victory.' However, Christophe Trojani, Mayor of Villefranche-sur-Mer—a key port affected by this decision—was reportedly taken by surprise, expressing his lack of prior knowledge about the announcement.

The metropolitan authority does not have jurisdiction to prevent ships from anchoring in open waters, which is managed by the State, but it does control docking rights at its harbors.

The implementation of the policy will target cruise ships' ability to disembark passengers at these ports.

As discussions continue on how to enforce these limitations, cooperation from neighboring municipalities will be crucial.

There remains uncertainty about whether all local officials will support Estrosi’s approach.