The World ship in Falmouth targeted by Ocean Rebellion protest

The ship, which incorporates 165 apartments, arrived in Falmouth towards the end of May, with no passengers onboard, and has remained here ever since.

At the time a press statement explained that due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic she had been taken out of service on March 17 for the safety of residents, guests and crew.

She is expected to remain docked in Falmouth for a number of months.

Read more: The World residential cruise ship arrives in Falmouth

Now Ocean Rebellion, a new off-shoot of Extinction Rebellion, has led a protest against the ship over its alleged environmental impact.

Members projected slogans onto the side of the ship, which included 'The World is destroying our world' and 'Sort your ship out'.

They were accompanied by a 'polar bear', who boarded the ship's bow to join the call for cruise shipping to stop.

The group claimed: "The World emits ten times more greenhouse gases per person per mile than a jumbo jet.

Slogans were projected onto The World residential ship. Photo: Guy Reece @strikingfaces

"Engagement with The World is the first of many actions designed to illuminate the processes of ocean degradation and shift stakeholders from ocean harm to ocean repair."

It also alleged that the ship was "directly responsible for melting over 200,000 square metres of sea ice each year rendering polar bears homeless, and bringing them to the brink of extinction."

The World has questioned the accuracy of these figures.

With the ship currently anchored in Falmouth Harbour, the group also claimed: "This sadly means for local residents there is a huge increase in air pollution as engines are regularly turned over in the harbour sending out sulphur emissions equivalent to 600,000 cars."

Read more: The World residential ship takes coronavirus refuge in Falmouth

Te ship's website states The World will explore six continents and more 100 ports in 2021, including calls in South America, Eastern Africa, the Middle East, Europe, Greenland, North America, and Central America.

Residents and guests will also embark on two expeditions throughout Antarctica/South Georgia/the Falkland Islands, and the White Sea/Russian Arctic.

Ocean Rebellion claimed: "Travelling these distances means that each of The World’s apartments has a hundred times the emissions of an average European apartment.

"That’s 380,309kg CO2 per year – the weight of a Boeing 747 airplane.

A 'polar bear' stands on the bow of The World. Photo: Guy Reece @strikingfaces

"Yearly ‘The World’ expeditions are responsible for the melting of 234,970 square metres of sea ice, destroying the very environments that The World’s residents travel to see."

A spokesperson for The World said it respectfully questioned the evidence for the claims made by the group, as well as how the numbers were calculated, adding that it had not been contacted for a statement or fact checking purposes.

She added: "The World, Residences at Sea, recognises the importance of being environmentally conscious and is committed to respecting the environment through a variety of programmes, practices and green initiatives that aim to preserve, protect or restore the natural environment as well as the vessel.

"The ship’s Our Green World initiative is a sustainable lifestyle programme that positively impacts The World, those aboard, and the environments in which it sails.

"The ship continues to seek new technologies to reduce fuel consumption, emissions, and its carbon footprint to remain a ‘green’ vessel.

"As a privately owned residential ship, our low passenger count compared to our size equates to a relatively low environmental impact.

"The World is a clean class vessel that conforms to industry best practices regarding emissions, water treatment, sewage plant and waste management systems.

The Ocean Rebellion boat and supporters next to The World in Falmouth. Photo: Gav Goulder

"It operates on low sulphur (less than 0.1 per cent sulphur) marine gas oil, the cleanest marine fuel available and has a ‘zero discharge to sea’ policy – no solid garbage of any kind is released to sea, even when permitted by international pollution regulations.

"A dedicated health, safety and environmental officer on board is responsible for oversight of occupational safety, environmental and public health policies, procedures, and systems on board.”

Ocean Rebellion said it was making three demands:

- To "tell the truth about the destruction of the oceans."

- To "act now" with the aim that by 2025 it could reverse drivers of ocean warming, acidification, sea level rise and biodiversity collapse.

- To "take control" by calling for the United Nations to govern the world's common oceans' heritage "for the benefit of humankind", especially indigenous coastal communities, and "not for the benefit of industry or finance."

It warned that if the UN failed in this then a "global citizens’ assembly will convene to assume governance."

The group has said it is developing campaigns tackling the cruise industry, deep sea mining, shipping emissions, modern slavery, aviation, fisheries, aquaculture, radioactivity and the climate.