Cruise ship companies have hit back at activists who staged a night-time protest against ships in Weymouth Bay.

Protestors from Extinction Rebellion's sister organisation, Ocean Rebellion, took to the waters to raise awareness of their campaign to end the cruise ship industry.

However, the ships' owners claim they protesters are misguided and the ships operate under the highest environmental standards.

The group projected slogans onto the hulls of the ships, including 'illegal dumper' and 'ship of fools'.

Protestor and Team GB sailor, Laura Baldwin, said: "Weymouth Bay has seen between five and 10 cruise ships parked here since the start of lockdown. On a still day you can clearly see the sludgy yellow layer of pollution wrapping the lowest level of air.

"We are in the midst of a climate and ecological emergency, people are already dying and being displaced. The next seven years are the most critical ever in the history of humanity. We must rapidly decarbonise."

Laura, who represented Team GB in the 2004 Olympics, said: "We all need to take responsibility for reducing our individual carbon footprints and make the morally right decisions."

The group targeted seven cruise ships: three operated by Marella, which are owned by travel company TUI, two owned by Cunard and two by P&O - and bosses have now hit back at the accusations.

A spokesman for TUI UK said: "Marella Cruises leads the maritime sector in environmental compliance by developing and implementing best practices which exceed international environmental legislation.

"We collaborate with environmental organisations and government agencies to create policies that protect our oceans and continually strive for improvement.

"As a cruise line we work very hard to minimise our emissions and make our ships and itineraries as fuel efficient as possible.

"Whilst at anchor in UK waters, our ships use the highest quality marine distillate fuel available with a certified sulphur content of less than 0.1 per cent. This fuel is not a waste product."

A spokesman for P&O Cruises and Cunard said: "Whilst anchored off the south coast the ships remain on their power generation operating at significantly reduced load compared to normal cruising or anchored operation.

"Additionally, all our ships are fitted with Advanced Air Quality Systems which remove almost all the sulphur from the air emissions, along with removing a high percentage of particulate matter.

"These systems exceed the regulatory emissions and standards for both air and water quality and ensure that all our cruise ships remain in compliance with all relevant environmental regulations, including the IMO 2020 requirements."