Date: 201809
Local time of day: 1801-2400
Location: ZZZ.Airport, US
Flight conditions: IMC
Weather elements / visibility: Turbulence
Aircraft: A320
Operator: Air Carrier
Operating under: Part 121
Mission: Passenger
Flight phase: Initial Approach; Landing
Reporter organization: Air Carrier
Reporter function: Pilot Flying; Captain
Reporter qualification: Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Second reporter function: Pilot Not Flying; First Officer
Anomaly: ATC Issue All Types; Conflict Ground Conflict; Less Severe; Deviation - Speed All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Inflight Event / Encounter Unstabilized Approach
Detector: Person Flight Crew
When detected: In-flight
Result: Flight Crew FLC Overrode Automation; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Contributing factors: Airspace Structure; Environment - Non Weather Related; Weather
Primary problem: Environment - Non Weather Related

Narrative: [We were] cleared for the RNAV [arrival] with 35 knot tailwind. All speed and altitude restrictions were made. Initial Arrival ATIS had [destination airport] was landing ILS XYR with Weather 9 Vis 1;000 overcast / Winds approximately 100 at 11. Briefed and Confirmed the Arrival and the ILS Runway XYR with all parameters. Updated ATIS; I noticed the Vis dropped to 8 miles. Approach advised us of a tall Ship and told us to expect the RNAV (GPS) Runway XYR. The First Officer reloaded the approach and we confirmed / validated the approach. I however missed the notation on the size / height of the Vessel restriction 144 feet.We were cleared to descend to 4;000 feet outside ZZZZZ Intersection and cleared the approach. I armed the approach and received correct Final Approach armed indications (actually checked the perf page for confirmation as I normally do thru 10;000 feet) prior to ZZZZZ Intersection.Began landing configuration after passing ZZZZZ Intersection inbound. However the aircraft did not capture and begin descent at ZZZZZ Intersection so I used Speed / Vertical speed to make the remaining restrictions. I checked ground position on approach visually prior to passing the [a building] at approximately 1;000 feet With visibility less than I expected I was able to pick up Runway XYR about the same instant I observed the Large Vessel exiting the Port. When we reported runway XYR in sight. Tower cleared us for a Visual Approach. Some of the Cruise Ship was still in our direct path to the runway. I leveled off approximately 700 feet; called for autopilot off / flight directors off and maneuvered left of centerline then back to runway heading and a safe landing profile. First Officer noted airspeed deviations and sink rate on short final that were immediately corrected. We landed on speed and approximately 1200 feet down the runway on centerline. Rollout was normal. This event occurred due to IMC / Cruise Ship exiting the Harbor.Personally I believe air traffic in IMC conditions should be held for 3-5 minutes to allow an occasional Cruise Ship to Exit.


Second narrative: Inside final approach the aircraft started to accelerate instead of slow down as expected. I called 'Airspeed Increasing - watch your airspeed' - three times. Captain disengaged Autopilot and Auto thrust and corrected the airspeed which exceeded Flaps Full Airspeed by approximately 2 knots. We returned to a stabilized approach and then broke out of the weather and was cleared for a visual approach with a Tall Ship in the way. The Captain veered slightly to the left and remained slightly high of Glidepath to ensure separation. Once we were clear The Captain corrected back to glideslope and momentarily exceeded 1000ft descent. I called out 1300 descent rate. The Captain returned to an 800 descent rate and landed on speed about 1200 feet down the runway. High workload caused by change in Approach Type and managing the airplane during the approach. Airplane started to accelerate unexpectedly and took the Captain time to override automation which time delay caused Flap overspeed. Unstable approach was caused by unexpected Tall Ship directly on flight path once we broke out of the weather; forcing descent profile correction. The correction back to glideslope caused the momentary steep descent on final.The Tall ship was in the harbor for a long time; but really only effected us. Tower should be able to delay approaches during the short window the ship is directly crossing the flight path. If it had been VMC then no issues.


Synopsis: B767 flight crew reported heading and glide path deviation due to a cruise ship in the flight path for landing.