Ports & destinations

County Administrator appoints Joseph Morris as new Port Director of Port Everglades

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Ports & Destinations Ports & Destinations; Published: 18 June 2024 18 June 2024

On June 18, 2024, the Broward County Commission confirmed the County Administrator's appointment of Joseph Morris as Port Director of Broward County's Port Everglades Department.

Morris currently serves as the Port Director for the Massachusetts Port Authority where he has worked for four years, originally as Deputy Port Director of Operations. He is expected to begin at Port Everglades on July 15, 2024.

"As one of the leading economic engines in Broward County, it is essential that we continue to have a strong leader at the helm of Port Everglades. Joe was selected after an exhaustive national search that included input from a variety of port stakeholders. Joe is a visionary who brings vast international experience and understands the vital economic role that a seaport plays in a community," said Broward County Administrator Monica Cepero. "Joe has proven to be an exceptional leader throughout his private sector and public service career in the port industry, with more than 25 years of diverse experience in seaport, transportation, government, and business management."

At Port Everglades, Morris will oversee the seaport's vast maritime business that generates more than $26.5 billion in economic activity statewide annually, supports nearly 11,000 local direct jobs, and results in more than $925 million in state and local taxes.

"The County and Port Everglades have an unparalleled reputation for cultivating an inclusive economic environment where everyone has the opportunity to succeed, and I'm looking forward to joining the staff and its community partners in advancing the Port's position locally, regionally, and globally," said Morris.

During his time at the Massachusetts Port Authority, Morris has been responsible for managing cargo and cruise operations, multiple real estate properties, five public parks, and public access properties. He steers business development efforts, including the first new shipping line to call Boston home in more than seven years, and develops capital investment plans. Morris also oversees 51 staff in the Massport Police Department, responsible for port facility security at terminals (cruise, container) as well as in the public domain (parks, and areas of South Boston). Morris has worked with government authorities representing multiple countries including Costa Rica, the Netherlands, Denmark, and Great Britain, and led teams responsible for planning vessel, rail, gate, and yard operations for the largest container terminal in the United States of America, APM Terminals Los Angeles.

Morris has a bachelor's degree in Business Management from the University of Phoenix. He also holds a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Certification and successfully completed the MAGNUM and MAGNET accelerated leadership training programs through APM Terminals.

AD Ports Group and Red Sea Port Authority sign three concession agreements to strengthen Egypt’s cruise tourism

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Ports & Destinations Ports & Destinations; Published: 12 June 2024 12 June 2024

AD Ports Group, a leading global facilitator of logistics, industry and trade today signed a definitive concession agreement with the Red Sea Ports Authority (RSPA) to develop, operate and manage three cruise terminals at Safaga, Hurghada, and Sharm El Sheikh ports.

AD Ports Group’s total investment of USD 4.7 million over the next 15 years will cover management and operations of the three cruise terminals - expected to be operational in 2025 - to provide new services, improve access for cruise operators and add new itineraries through the Group’s cruise terminal network in the red sea. This agreement further strengthens AD Ports Group’s cruise business in the Red Sea region, supports volumes of cruise passengers and elevates passenger and cruise experiences.

The definitive agreement was signed at the Egyptian Cabinet headquarters in Cairo in the presence of His Excellency Dr. Mostafa Madbouly, Egypt’s Prime Minister, His Excellency Lieutenant-General Eng. Kamel El Wazir, Egypt’s Minister of Transport; Her Excellency Mariam Al Kaabi, Ambassador of the UAE to Egypt, and Captain Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, Managing Director and Group CEO, AD Ports Group, by Ahmed Al Mutawa, Regional CEO, AD Ports Group; and Major General Osama Saleh, Vice- Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Red Sea Port Authority.

Furthermore, AD Ports Group and the General Authority of the Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZONE) initialled two 30-year concession agreements for the development, management, and operations of a Ro-Ro terminal and a cruise terminal at Sokhna Port.

Captain Mohammed Juma Al Shamisi, Managing Director and Group CEO, AD Ports Group, said: “We’re happy to build upon our initial agreement signed earlier in January. Today’s signings reaffirm our commitment to bolstering the cruise tourism sector in the Red Sea, through providing world-class facilities and services to passengers, while further strengthening bilateral ties between the UAE and Egypt, in line with the vision of our wise leadership.”

He added: “Sokhna is strategically positioned on the western shore of the Gulf of Suez. We are keen on collaborating with our partners at the General Authority of the Suez Canal Economic Zone to fulfil the region’s requirement for prime Cruise and Ro-Ro services.”

The agreements reaffirm strong bilateral ties between the two nations and follow a definitive concession agreement signed in December 2023 with the Red Sea Ports Authority (“RSPA”) for the development and operations of a multi-purpose terminal at Safaga Port, bound to be the first internationally operated port serving the Upper Egypt region with investment of US$ 200 million made over three years.

Juneau and cruise lines agree to limit the number of daily visitors

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Ports & Destinations Ports & Destinations; Published: 06 June 2024 06 June 2024

The City and Borough of Juneau (CBJ) and cruise lines calling the port have signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) to help manage visitor industry volume in the capital city by establishing a limit of 16,000 lower berths per day, with 12,000 on Saturday.

The agreement also includes a commitment to meet annually to optimize the schedule, review visitor numbers and discuss community goals. Negotiated by CBJ and Cruise Lines International Association in Alaska (CLIA), the latest MOA is based on recommendations established by the Visitor Industry Task Force (VITF) in 2021 and furthers the partnership among the parties.

“This latest agreement reflects the industry’s ongoing commitment to work with CBJ and the residents of Juneau to deliver win-win partnerships. Cruise lines are committed to being strong partners with the community and the City’s leadership has been instrumental in maintaining a dialogue to foster solutions to the issues highlighted by the VITF,” said Renée Limoge Reeve, Vice President of Government and Community Relations at CLIA. “We’ve heard the community’s concerns and will continue to partner with CBJ to improve the experience of residents and visitors alike.”

The daily thresholds recognize the need to preserve resident and visitor experience and provide a predictable market for the many local businesses that rely on the cruise industry. It also demonstrates partnership and collaboration between the community and industry as they work together to maintain a vibrant and sustainable visitor industry in Juneau and Southeast Alaska.

“The cruise industry is vital to our local economy, and we need to improve our infrastructure and grow our tour capacity to create a great guest experience and reduce impacts on residents,” said Juneau Visitor Industry Director Alexandra Pierce. “With this agreement, we are committing to a cap to manage our busiest days and to meet annually to ensure that our visitor numbers remain sustainable. This work is difficult, time consuming, and extremely important for our community. We appreciate the partners who helped us get here.”

Port of HaminaKotka to open cruise ship season next week

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Ports & Destinations Ports & Destinations; Published: 07 June 2024 07 June 2024

The international cruise ship season for the Port of HaminaKotka will commence next Monday, when the Deutschland of Phoenix Reisen will arrive at Kantasatama in Kotka. The new cruise ship season will not be quite as busy as in the past couple of years, because after St Petersburg is no longer included in the itinerary of cruise line companies, the biggest cruise ships have withdrawn from the Baltic Sea to other markets for the time being.

During the cruise ship season of 2024, all ships will call at Kantasatama in Kotka. Some of the cruise ships have been to the Port of HaminaKotka before and some are making their inaugural call.

“Our long-term sales efforts have paid off, as we have succeeded in attracting not only so-called regular visitors, but also ships that visit HaminaKotka for the first time,” says Petra Cranston, Project Manager, Cruise Business, of Port of HaminaKotka Ltd.

Despite the transition of the cruise market in the Baltic Sea region, the Port of HaminaKotka, together with other cruise ports on the Gulf of Finland, has succeeded in enhancing the attractiveness of the region among cruise line companies. Decisions in the international cruise business are made with a perspective of two to three years ahead, which is why the market is expected to pick up more distinctly from 2026 onwards.

Cruise ships calling at the Port of HaminaKotka in 2024:

10 June Deutschland
9 July Seven Seas Navigator
9 August Hebridean Sky
18 August Azamara Onward
11 September Sirena
28 September Sirena

The information is subject to change.

MedCruise invests in digital communication widening its services

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Ports & Destinations Ports & Destinations; Published: 31 May 2024 31 May 2024

As a result of internal surveys and studies carried out by different working groups inside the association, MedCruise has decided to invest in digital communication and develop new infographics, statistics reports, interactive maps and a dedicated section to career opportunities. From next June, the website www.medcruise.com will be strengthened with new sections and the association will open a 'Threads' profile to reach even more stakeholders via a wider social media communication.

MedCruise, the largest Association of Mediterranean Cruise Ports representing 153 ports from 22 countries in 3 different continents and 53 Associate Members, has had a very productive mandate with many new initiatives and services, which are now supported by technological innovations on its digital platforms. The website enhancements are introducing new features aimed at improving the user experience and ensuring access to the most up-to-date information to the cruise industry from its members, to create stronger visibility for all MedCruise port and associate members.

Informational maps & new sections

One of the most outstanding improvements is the geolocation of each member, a fundamental change in terms of precision and accuracy. Moreover, this enables the creation of detailed and informative maps and the creation of infographics reflecting data and information of various surveys, new initiatives or activities created during this mandate.

From now on, the cruise industry will have detailed information on crew facilities and services available at our ports, thanks to the crew-friendly survey led by MedCruise's Vice President, Lorenzo Vera. Additionally, the extensive sustainability and environmental survey conducted by board of directors Valeria Mangiarotti and Jamil Ouazzani will be presented in a map format. This data will be available on MedCruise's website with customizable filters, empowering users with reliable information and facilitating informed decision-making.

From a static platform, MedCruise's website will become a more interactive one allowing members to directly manage and update their profiles, ensuring the accuracy of the information presented and empower members or promote their engagement within the MedCruise community.

In a sector where agile professionals are more and more needed with the growing number and size of ships, a new section within the website will be dedicated to career opportunities from the cruise lines but also port side in order to include whoever wants to become part of the vibrant cruise industry.

The associate membership has increased by 47% and MedCruise has also created a categorisation system encompassing four different associate categories, reflecting their supporting role within the industry: Tourism Board, Port Agent, Receptive Agent or Cruise industry related Association or Company.

As board of director Aris Batsoulis’ task and as the 2nd pillar of the mandate after sustainability, MedCruise has given high priority to data governance to become one of the reliable sources for data. In collaboration with SaMMYacht company, the association has been actively working on a project that will create a digital platform to automate the reporting, modelling and visualisation of cruise traffic data across the MedCruise port network on an annual basis. This new platform, which will also be available on the website in June 2024, will also incorporate dynamic graphics and historical data collected over the past 10 years, allowing members to compare the recorded data available.

MedCruise website continues to serve as a database that offers publications and useful resources for the cruise industry, such as MedCruise Statistics report, issued every year, MedCruise Yearbook, also updated yearly, and the recent MedCruise’s Cruise Port City Compass, published and launched at Seatrade Cruise Global on April 10th, 2024, in collaboration with AIVP, the International Association of Cities & Ports and thanks to the great efforts of board of director Noemi Frascella.

Social media development & new "Threads"

Finally, in terms of social media, MedCruise has seen a significant increase in its presence and visibility in recent years, especially on platforms such as LinkedIn and Instagram, and is placing greater focus on these channels thanks to the support of board of director Cristina De Gregori.

In addition, MedCruise will be present on the ‘Threads’ channel, an account that will be launched in June 2024, with the goal of improving visibility and providing a dedicated space for discussions, updates and interactions, strengthening its online presence.

Figen Ayan, President of MedCruise, shared "while we are approaching to the end of the 2021-2024 mandate, I am extremely happy to see that our vision and targets have been reached and will be reflected to the whole industry in a user-friendly and accessible manner with our enhanced MedCruise website. This could not have been possible without the constant efforts of the Secretariat, Board of Directors and stakeholders involved".