ANTI-COAL protesters with a reputation for halting ship movements in Newcastle Harbour have defended their right to carry out the “symbolic” gesture.

They have also brushed off suggestions they are already hurting the city’s economy after a major cruise liner cancelled its planned visit for the weekend, with Tourism Hunter estimating that event alone cost $250,000 in visitor dollars.

Asked whether protesters planned to disrupt coal loaders on Sunday, 350.org chief executive Blair Palese said participants would make up their own mind.

Ms Palese said organisers would not instruct people to use their canoes to wade in front of moving ships, but conceded it was a move that summed up the organisation’s anti-coal message, at one point referring to blockades as “symbolic”.

More than ten ships have “notified” the Port of Newcastle they will be arriving or departing the harbour the day of the protest

“We’re getting ready for a peaceful protest,” Ms Palese said.

“This is not an event where we tell people to do anything at all, people decide what they want to do at the end of the day.

“There will definitely be rules on what people can do, but people have decided to do that (block ships) in the past because it’s symbolic.

“Here we are on the verge of an election and climate change is not an issue.”

The Port of Newcastle declined to publicly disclose what plans were in place to deal with the planned protest, or how it would affect ship movements, referring Herald questions to police.

However, it did say the port would operate “business as usual” despite lively scenes last year.

Meanwhile, Newcastle City local area commander Superintendent John Gralton said police were expecting a crowd of several hundred people.

Superindendent Gralton said water police, operational support group police and other support agencies would be watching over the event.

A water police vessel could already be seen speeding out to sea via Newcastle Harbour on Monday afternoon.

"If the harbour master says keep out of the shipping lane then they need to stay out of the shipping lane,'' Superintendent Gralton said. "Anyone who breaks the law will be dealt with accordingly.''