Cruise Baltic has announced two major developments at Seatrade Med, Marseille: the launched of its Port Service Standards Working Tool (PSSWT) - an industry first – and the inclusion of two new destination partners – the ports of Arendal and Aalborg. Alan Lam reports.

“In close dialogue with the ECC’s (European Cruise Council) Port Sub-Committee, cruise lines and Project Consultant Luis de Carvalho,” said Bo Larsen, the Director of Cruise Baltic, expostulating on this development, “the Cruise Baltic Working Group has created a practical and effective ‘overview’ rating system, which allows cruise line operators to access information related to every single pier at each of our Baltic ports. After considerable discussion we have evaluated what key data was needed in order to build a platform that would be useful not only for cruise line operators but also to function as a benchmark and motivational tool for ports within Cruise Baltic.”

 Commenting on this development, Neil Palomba, Chairman, ECC’s Ports and Infrastructure Sub-Committee, and Corporate Operating Officer, MSC Cruises, said: “This Port Service Standard system set up by Cruise Baltic is a truly innovative initiative and I am confident that it will ease and improve itinerary planning for cruise lines. Even in its early stages, it already represents an invaluable tool for itinerary planners who need to deal with hundreds of ports all around the globe every year.”

The master PSSWT document is accessible through www.cruisebaltic.com

The announcement came after the initial presentation of the document at the previous steering group meeting held in Oslo, during which the inclusion of the two new ports as Cruise Baltic partners were also approved.

Alan Lam