Cruise Erosion


2023

installation - research - data visualisation


"Cruise Erosion" is a research on the cruise industry in my hometown, Marseille. I collected data on the 165 ships that passed by the port during the summer of 2023: their size, how many passengers they brought to the city for just a few hours of sightseeing, where they came from and where they were heading to. I placed these 165 ships along a scaled coastline of Marseille. It becomes apparent that if these ships had arrived at the same time, they would have entirely obstructed the coast. Cruise tourism exerts transformative forces onto their destinations, at social, cultural, economic and physical levels. By sharing my research, I aim to participate in the ongoing conversation about the future of cities facing the consequences of unregulated cruise tourism.

photos: Anwyn Howart


The blue and white threads connect each boat to the name of a destination on the floor, indicating where they come from and where they are heading to.