Cruise Ships Damaging Antarctica’s Seafloor, Scientists Warn

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Antarctica may be the most untouched continent on Earth – but booming cruise tourism is starting to leave a destructive mark beneath the icy surface.

Antarctica Seabed

A new scientific study has revealed that cruise ship anchors and chains are causing long-lasting damage to fragile Antarctic marine life, including some of the world’s oldest and slowest-growing species, like giant volcano sponges.

The research, published in Frontiers in Conservation Science by scientists from Memorial University of Newfoundland and New Zealand’s National Institute of Water & Atmospheric Research, is the first to document this kind of ecological damage on video.

Using 62 hours of underwater 4K footage, the team observed crushed sponges and scarred sea beds across multiple popular cruise landing sites – while nearby untouched areas revealed thriving marine ecosystems.

The problem stems from the fact that even small, polar-class cruise ships must anchor offshore due to the region’s lack of infrastructure.

While only ships with fewer than 500 guests are allowed to land under IAATO (International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators) rules, their anchors still impact the vulnerable shallow coastal zones where marine life flourishes.

One of the worst-hit sites was Yankee Harbour in the South Shetland Islands – home to Gentoo penguins and a popular stop for expedition cruises.

In 2023, just eight ship visits caused damage to nearly 1,600 metres of seabed, according to the report.

This isn’t ordinary ocean floor – it’s a slow-growing, cold-water ecosystem where recovery from anchor strikes could take over a century, if it occurs at all.

“This is not an environment where the seafloor bounces back quickly… It’s more like breaking coral or slicing through a centuries-old forest.”

Researchers’ comments

A Record Number of Cruise Visitors

Cruise tourism to Antarctica has skyrocketed in recent years.

During the 2022–2023 season, over 70,000 passengers visited. That number climbed to a record 123,000 in 2023–2024, and it’s expected to grow even more in 2025 and beyond.

While expedition vessels like those from Hurtigruten or Ponant dominate the region, larger ships such as Majestic Princess are slated to visit in 2026–2027, offering scenic-only sailings with no landings.

IAATO limits landings to just 100 people at a time, and only for ships carrying 500 or fewer passengers – a safeguard meant to reduce human footprint onshore.

Still, all ships must rely on anchors or dynamic positioning systems to remain stationary, especially when tendering guests to and from land.

The researchers behind the study aren’t calling for a halt to Antarctic tourism – but they do urge new policies and technologies to minimise harm.

Among their top recommendations:

  • Establish permanent mooring zones in high-traffic locations to eliminate the need for anchoring.
  • Ban anchoring entirely in particularly vulnerable areas, to protect sensitive habitats.
  • Use dynamic positioning more widely. This high-tech GPS-based system allows a ship to stay in one place without anchoring – and many modern cruise ships are already equipped with it.

Balancing Exploration with Conservation

Antarctica has long been referred to as “the last frontier” – a vast, ice-covered wilderness that has remained relatively untouched by human activity.

But as more travellers seek out bucket-list cruises to the polar south, experts say there’s a pressing need to develop eco-conscious protocols that allow for exploration without irreversible damage.

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Cruise Mummy

Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 30 cruises. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays.

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