A trial of a US captain has begun in France after his cruiseship was alleged to have breached pollution limits.

Carnival Corp, the ultimate owner of P&O Cruises' 115,000-gt Azura (built 2010), is also on trial in Marseille, the Daily Telegraph reported.

It is the first such case in France.

Master Evans Hoyt, 58, has been charged with burning bunker fuel containing 1.68%