Hamburg and Oslo ports agree to cooperate in cruise sector

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Category: Ports & Destinations

Published on Monday, 11 June 2012 09:21

Written by Kari Reinikainen

On a delegation visit from the Maritime Department in the Port of Oslo to Hamburg on the 7 – 8 June, the cruise port representatives of both cities agreed upon a leisure partnership. “The idea came due to more and more German passengers cruising from Hamburg to Norway and back”, stated Gerd Drossel, managing director Hamburg Cruise Center.

The German passenger volume in Norwegian ports increased from 2009 to 2010 by 22 % from 116,000 to 142,000. In 2011 the Norwegian ports counted a total cruise passenger volume of about 457,000, of which 32% were Germans (2011: 151,000), followed by 23% English cruise passengers. While until 2008 the English source market had the biggest market share, today the German market is the most important market represented in Norwegian ports, having a huge future potential. The Norwegian fjords are so far the second most visited cruise area for German passengers after the west Mediterranean.

Cruise ships out of Hamburg with destination Norway call ports such as Bergen and Stavanger, but mainly going directly to Oslo. The capital of Norway is a very popular port of call for German passengers.  Shore excursions are going to Holmenkollen Ski Jump, to the Vigeland Sculpture Park, to the Maritime Museum etc. The Munch Museum and the new Opera House “floating” in the water are among the must-see-attractions. With the blue and the greenand the city in between the German cruise passengers enjoy positive experiences in Oslo. Approximately 100 000 German cruise passengers visited Oslo in 2011and this is by far the highest number from one nationality, said Margrethe Austad, marketing manager Cruise, Port of Oslo.

Both cruise ports Oslo and Hamburg play a significant role within the cruise business. Hamburg is for instance the second biggest cruise port in Germany passenger wise and the entire Hamburg economy ultimately benefits from the cruise industry. This is the fact for Oslo as well. With about 320 000 cruise passengers spending in average €100 each, the economic benefit of cruise ships to Oslo is significant. In cooperation both delegations further agreed onsharing knowledge, when it comes for example to future cruise port infrastructure developments or topics such as destination marketing expertise.

“During our two days visit in Hamburg, we got the chance to learn more about the work and structure of the Hamburg Cruise Center association and simply can name it as a Best Practice example marketing wise”, stated Austad. There is definitely something for Oslo to learn from the network in Hamburg.

“We visited the new cruise terminal in Altona and I must say, this is exactly as we wish to build in Oslo. We are in the planning process now. It is very interesting to see what Hamburg has done to attract more cruise vessels and give them thebest conditions, said Paal Waage, Harbour Master in the Port of Oslo.

The cruise port Hamburg, ideally situated on the North Sea, is the perfect hub tocruise to Norway but also to the West Coast of Europe, which represents also a unique cruise destination with ports like Amsterdam, Antwerp, Dover, Le Havre,Santander, Vigo and Lisbon. Those cruise ports cooperate together with Hamburgin a powerful international marketing organization, called the Atlantic Alliance, Hamburg Cruise Center said.

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