Ports & destinations

Cruise the Saint Lawrence announces changes in its board

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Ports & Destinations Ports & Destinations; Published: 26 July 2022 26 July 2022

Cruise the Saint Lawrence announced yesterday changes of the organization’s board of directors agreed at the annual general meeting held 10 June 2022. The officers each appointed to a term of two years include as follows: Yves Gilson, Director, Marketing & Cruises at Port of Montréal, who was elected President; Priscilla Nemey, Director General of Promotion Saguenay, who was elected Treasurer; and, Odessa Thériault, Director General of Port of Havre-Saint-Pierre, who was elected Secretary. Two additional directors, namely Nancy Houley, Director, Cruise Development with Port of Québec, and Suzanne Cassista, Executive Director with Destination Sept-Îles Nakauinanu, round out the five-member body.

As international cruises return to Destination Saint Lawrence ports of call this year, the new board has chosen to pursue the development thrusts instituted by their predecessors, move forward with action to transform the Saint Lawrence into a sustainable destination, and spur the promotion of local initiatives intended to guarantee passengers a shoreside welcome second to none.

Cruise the Saint Lawrence groups together the nine ports of call located along the shores of the Saint Lawrence River. The mission of the organization is to grow cruise market activities in Québec and across Destination Canada New England through the provision of marketing and development services to members. Cruise the Saint Lawrence enjoys the support of partners Tourism Québec, Québec Tourism Industry Alliance and Canada Economic Development.

Alaska Railroad marks major milestone for Seward passenger dock replacement

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Ports & Destinations Ports & Destinations; Published: 21 July 2022 21 July 2022

The Alaska Railroad Corporation (ARRC) now has the authority to sell up to $60 million in bonds to fund upgrades to its cruise passenger dock and terminal facility in Seward after Gov. Mike Dunleavy signed House Bill 127 into law earlier this month.

The milestone allows ARRC to move forward with an investment of more than $80 million for the dock and cruise terminal facility. Bank of America Securities, Inc., was also identified as the underwriter for issuing the bonds. Their team visited Seward this week with ARRC to get acquainted with the project and move forward with next steps in the underwriting process.

The construction timeline calls for the new passenger terminal to be operational for the 2025 season. The upgrades are needed as Seward provides a critical connection to thousands of cruise passengers who arrive in Alaska each summer and then go on to travel throughout the state, bringing tourism dollars to Alaska businesses.

“We appreciate the governor’s strong support for the railroad and our ability to finance critical Alaska infrastructure,” said ARRC President and CEO Bill O’Leary. “Seward has been an essential gateway for the Alaska Railroad for decades. Replacing the dock and enhancing our passenger terminal will ensure this important connection remains intact for all Railbelt communities for many more decades to come. We are on the cusp of celebrating the Railroad’s centennial, 100 years as a critical transportation link. It is fitting to mark the occasion by starting a project that will offer profound benefit to communities all along our rails.”

Because ARRC has its own bonding powers, none of the project costs will be paid by state dollars. ARRC plans to issue bonds totaling $60 million and the remaining costs will be paid through existing dock fees and capital funds.

ARRC already has interest in the dock upgrades from Royal Caribbean Group as the two are in negotiations for a multi-year berthing agreement that features an annual revenue guarantee.

“Our cruise brands have enjoyed operating out of Seward for more than 20 years and with this investment, our guests will continue building memories that last a lifetime,” said Wendy Lindskoog, Royal Caribbean Group’s regional vice president of government relations for Alaska and the West Coast. “Our aligned vision to support this new dock with the governor, legislators and ARRC means long-term economic benefit to the region and the ability for Royal Caribbean Group to bring our newer, more energy-efficient ships to the market.”

“We are thankful for the strong return of the cruise ship industry after a two-year hiatus,” said Seward City Manager Janette Bower. “We appreciate the support from Gov. Dunleavy, Senate President Peter Micciche (R), House Transportation Committee Chair Rep. Grier Hopkins (D) and Rep. Bart LeBon (R), allowing the Alaska Railroad to move forward with this valuable project and the economic benefit it provides through cruise ship tourism dollars for our local businesses, including commercial passenger vessel funds for both the city and borough, the marine industry in Seward and throughout the state.”

The ARRC also has a project in the works expanding the freight dock and corridor improvements in Seward. In total, the ARRC is on track to invest more than $100 million in the community of Seward over the next five years.

Largest cruise ship ever calls at Kalundborg

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Ports & Destinations Ports & Destinations; Published: 08 July 2022 08 July 2022

Kalundborg Cruise Port, operated by Global Ports Holding, the world’s largest cruise port operator, welcomed the biggest cruise ship to ever call Kalundborg as well as its first call for the 2022 season with AIDA Cruises.

AIDAnova, operated by AIDA Cruises arrived in Kalundborg Cruise Port with 3900 passengers and 1200 crew for its transit call. The passengers who disembarked visited the city of Kalundborg with shuttles from the port and went on to their excursions in Copenhagen.

With the attendance of Martin Damm, Mayor of Kalundborg municipality and Bent Rasmusse, Port Director of Kalundborg Port, the GPH operations team welcomed AIDAnova’s Captain Jens Janauscheck, for the official ceremony of plaques & key exchange.

Javier Rodriguez Sanchez, GPH Regional Director West Med & Asia commented: “We are delighted to have hosted the largest ship to ever call Kalundborg today. With GPH processes and procedures in place and a strong corporation with the Kalundborg Port Authority, Kalundborg Tourism Authority and all stakeholders, today we have had a successful transit operation, welcoming almost 4000 passengers. We look forward to the rest of the cruise season where we will host more AIDAnova calls and an even more successful seasons to come”.

Kalundborg is one of the few deep waters cruise destinations located on Zealand at the Great Belt and close to the entrance to the Baltic from the North Sea. Offering top class facilities for cruise ships, Kalundborg Cruise Port has a large quay area for cruise ships to operate their shore excursions and tours smoothly. With a complementary shuttle service from the harbor, the passengers can also enjoy a quick 15-minute ride to the town center. Only 100km away from Copenhagen, the cruise port offers a wide range of attractions.

Port of Tarragona welcomes largest cruise ship to date

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Ports & Destinations Ports & Destinations; Published: 20 July 2022 20 July 2022

On Sunday July 17 at 7 am the MSC Bellíssima of MSC Cruises docked at the new Baleares Wharf in the Port of Tarragona. With a length of 315 metres, gross tons of 171,589 and a capacity for 5,686 passengers, it is the largest cruise ship ever to call at the Port of Tarragona.

Representatives of the Tarragona Port Authority led by Núria Obiols, Director of Port Operations, presented a commemorative metope of this first arrival in Port Tarragona waters to the ship’s captain, Roberto Leotta, and his crew. The event was also attended by Alba Colet from Global Ports Holding, Montse Royo from Bergé Marítima, Eugenia Mendoza from Lantimar, and representatives of MSC.

The vessel’s call in Tarragona involved the embarkation and partial disembarkation of approximately 408 passengers and 433 passengers respectively and lasted for just over 13 hours, from 7 am to 8 pm, when the Bellíssima set sail from the Balears Wharf.

This was the first of the nine calls the cruise company will make in Tarragona this year. Eight more stopovers are planned for 2022, plus the call by the cruise liner MSC Magnifica, which was already scheduled for November 11.

The MSC Bellíssima arrived in Tarragona from Valencia. From here it set sail for Genoa, from where it was to continue to the Italian ports of Livorno and Naples. The vessel will call at Tarragona on Sundays 31 July, 21 August, 4 and 25 September, and 9, 16 and 23 October.

Galveston Wharves explores cruise, cargo opportunities with Panama

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Ports & Destinations Ports & Destinations; Published: 24 June 2022 24 June 2022

Rodger Rees, Galveston Wharves port director and CEO, recently traveled to Panama with a delegation of Texas port leaders to explore growth opportunities.

The U.S.-Panama Business Council organized the trade mission June 13-14 so that high-level Panamanian government, business and canal leaders could meet with the Texas delegation to discuss current opportunities and the global outlook.

The Panama Canal is a major shipping route for cargo and lay ships that call on the Port of Galveston. Panama also has a growing cruise industry with cruise ports at the Caribbean entrance to the canal in Colon and on the Pacific side near Panama City.

Rees said, “As the only cruise port in Texas, I was interested in learning how Galveston’s cruise industry could benefit from Panama’s growth as a homeport and port of call.

“Some of the major cruise lines that homeport in Galveston already transit through the Panama Canal. With the second cruise terminal in Panama opening this year on the Pacific side, could cruise lines homeporting there consider Galveston as a port of call?”

Of the 946 ships that called on Galveston in 2021, a number were cargo ships and lay ships that traveled through the canal. Shippers that carry wind, roll-on/roll-off, grain and other cargos to and from the Port of Galveston rely on the canal for efficient transport. The Panama Canal recorded 287 million tons of cargo and 13,300 vessel movements in 2021.

The Port of Galveston is a major Texas cargo port, moving almost 5 million tons in 2021. The Galveston Ship Channel ranks in the top 50 U.S. waterways for cargo tonnage. Galveston is one of 11 deep-draft ports in Texas that contribute to the state’s top national ranking for total waterborne tonnage.

“I want to thank the council for organizing the meetings. I came away with a greater understanding of the country and of potential grown opportunities for both Texas ports and Panama,” Rees said.