Scrabster is expecting nine calls and an estimated 2,888 passengers this year compared to 10 and 2,234 respectively in 2012. Total gross tonnage has risen from 79,403 to 116,262 in the same period indicating the arrival of larger vessels.
MSC Cruises’ MSC Lirica was the first to call at Aarhus’ new quay on April 1 which had a total of 19 calls last year. The 2012 season closed on September 8 with a call from Saga’s Saga Ruby.
In the past cruiseships called at the old container port but now there is a 400m-long quay with a depth of 10m just 10 minutes walk from the city centre.
Submitted by CE-Press on 17 October 2012 - 10:37am
Milford Haven is expecting nine calls next year with many cruise lines calling for the first time: Windstar Cruises (Wind Surf), Princess Cruises (Ocean Princess), Regent Seven Seas Cruises (Seven Seas Voyager), Saga and Holland America Line.
This year the Welsh port was due to receive eight calls but severe weather conditions caused two to be cancelled.
The growth suits the port as Sue Blanchard-Williams, cruise and event coordinator Milford Haven Port Authority, said: “Until our infrastructure improves we can only slowly grow the business”.
A milestone in the development of Greenock Ocean Terminal’s cruise operations was reached this month with the successful operation of its first international fly/cruise from the terminal.
Passengers were flown by charter flight from Finland to Glasgow International Airport with 450 embarking Kristina Cruises’ Kristina Katarina following the short transfer to Greenock Ocean Terminal (GOT).
Invergordon was singled out for the maiden voyage of newbuilding AIDA Cruises’ 71,304gt AIDAmar following her delivery from Meyer Werft. She was christened in Hamburg and her maiden voyage includes calls at Le Havre, Dover, Zeebrugge, Bergen, Eidfjord and Stavanger.
The cruiseship arrived at the Cromarty Firth port on May 18 carrying 2,214 passengers. She is the fourth cruiseship visit in a season which is expected to see 64 calls and over 75,000 passengers.
As a result of the growing increase in traffic, in 2012 the Bilbao Port Authority will commence the building of a new cruise terminal with a third berthing line. The works are scheduled for completion mid way through 2014 at an estimated cost of E17.6 million.
The new terminal will have a 27,400m² land surface area, be 76m wide and 355 mlong with a 12m draught. The project includes building a second passenger maritime station and an underground car park.
This year Olden will welcome 82 calls from ships sailing the 110k-long Nordfjord in Norway. Passengers numbers are expected to be about 110,000.
There will be 10 maiden calls from ships as large as Royal Caribbean International’s Brilliance of the Seas and Princess Cruises’ Caribbean Princess to smaller ones such as Kristina Katarina and Ocean Nova.
When two ships are in port, there is quay space for one alongside while the other must anchor. This year the port is improving the tender facilities.
Riga is looking forward to a prosperous cruise season with calls expected to reach 92, up 33% on the 69 of 2011.
This number may increase further according to Laura Apoga, marketing specialist cruise and passenger division Freeport of Riga Authority, if Delpin comes to the region.
Falmouth is expecting 25,705 passengers this year, up 37% or 7,000 on 2011. Calls will number 35 compared to 27 last year. Nine are at anchorage and the balance at the wharf.
International visitors have increased, according to Mike Reynolds port operations, who says that 12,000 will be coming from the USA and 6,000 from Germany.
