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Port of Buenos Aires to reduce tariffs for cruise ships
- Details
- Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen
- Category: Ports & Destinations Ports & Destinations
- Published: 12 August 2016 12 August 2016
Alan Lam reporting
It seems that the authorities in Argentina is finally responding to long-standing calls from the cruise industry. In a press conference held yesterday (11 August) - chaired by Guillermo Dietrich, the Minister of Transport, and Gonzalo Mórtola, the head of the port of Buenos Aires - it was announced that a tariff reduction for cruise vessels calling at the port will be implemented from 2017.
It has been a well-established fact that Buenos Aires has hitherto levied the heaviest tolls on ships using its ports. Cruise operators such as MSC Cruises and Costa Crociere have been lobbying local authorities for a reduction for years. Recent economic crisis and decline in cruise activities in the region seem to have prompted the decision.
As a measure to improve competitiveness and attract more tourists to the country, the Ministry of Transport and the port administration yesterday jointly announced this cruise-specific tariff reduction.
Effective from 2017/18 season, it is understood that the reduction will be in the form of progressive discount, depending the number of passengers. From October 2017 to April 2018, cruise lines bringing in up to 350,000 passenger will be charged at US$45.5 per person; thereafter for every 10,000 passenger there will be a US$0.50 per passenger discount.
“We are working closely with the sector to create a condition that will make Argentina a competitive destination,” said Guillermo Dietrich. “We want to see more cruise ships and more tourists coming to our country.”
“This tariff reduction represents a great effort made by the port,” said Gonzalo Mórtola. “We are convinced that this measure is necessary to make us more competitive in the market.”
The reduction does not appear to have gone far enough; nevertheless it is a step in the right direction. Considering the fact that the port of Buenos Aires only received a total of 329,600 cruise passengers in 2015, the threshold for discount is set unrealistically high.
Cruise lines’ reponses are yet to be heard.
Panamá plans an ambitious new cruise port
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- Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen
- Category: Ports & Destinations Ports & Destinations
- Published: 11 August 2016 11 August 2016
Alan Lam reports
According to Autoridad Marítima de Panamá (Maritime Authority of Panamá), a firm plan is afoot for the construction of a new, modern cruise terminal near the Pacific entrance to the canal.
The $30 million “multifunctional” project will be located in a small archipelago connected by Calzada de Amador (Amador Causeway), just south of Panamá City. It will include a substantial commercial development and support facilities.
According to Jorge Barakat, the administrator of the Maritime Authority, the chosen location has a water depth of between 7 and 12 metres, with a magnificent view of the city and the coastal strip.
The site has an area of about 30 hectares, with 11.5 hectares designated as commercial spaces. The planned construction period will last between 12 to 18 months. The government is in the process of initiating the tender process.
Currently there is a conspicuous lack of cruise port facilities in and around the capital city. The logistics for cruise ships arriving at Amador is complicated, involving transferring passengers by small boats.
The aim of this project is to transform Panamá City into a homeport similar to the one in Colón at the other end of the canal.
The Calzada de Amador is a road connecting Panamá City with four Pacific islands, which form a small archipelago. It was built in 1913 by the U.S. government with rocks excavated during construction of the canal.
The site was originally part of a U.S. military complex, known as Fort Amador, established to protect the entrance to the canal. The area is now a thriving tourist attraction. Upon completion, Panamá will have two major homeports, one on each end of the newly enlarged Canal.
Columbus Cruise Center in Bremerhaven enjoys strong start of year
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- Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen
- Category: Ports & Destinations Ports & Destinations
- Published: 08 August 2016 08 August 2016
Columbus Cruise Center in Bremerhaven (CCCB), at the mouth of the River Weser in Germany, says it has enjoyed a strong start of the year in terms of passenger volume increase and it forecasts the positive development to continue.
“For 2016, CCCB has already recorded an increase in passenger numbers of at least 35%. This figure will grow again considerably in 2017 und 2018,” the cruise terminal operator said in a statement.
On 31 July, all four ships of Phoenix Seereisen, the Bonn based cruise operator, docked at the CCCB terminal. “On this day alone, a total of 6,400 passengers used the Bremerhaven terminal for arrival or departure. About 450 tonnes of provisions were taken on board and about 10,000 suitcases handled,” the terminal operator said.
“In this respect, Bremerhaven is different from other ports in that all four vessels can berth at one quay and be processed by one terminal. Thanks to improvements implemented in the winter months, it has been possible to shorten the distance needed to be covered in the luggage-handling process. Services provided for crew and passengers have also been further enhanced,” CCCB concluded.
Theatrical welcome to Carnival Vista in Piraeus
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- Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen
- Category: Ports & Destinations Ports & Destinations
- Published: 25 July 2016 25 July 2016
Carnival Vista, the latest unit of Carnival Cruise Line, received a theatrical welcome in Piraeus, where the port authority had teamed up with local theatrical groups to provide a different kind of welcome to the passengers and crew of the ship, Piraeus Port Authority (PPA) said in a statement.
“An ‘alternative welcome,’ pleasant surprise awaited 5000 passengers and 1600 crew members of the cruise ship Carnival Vista. This time the PPA Management held a cultural event with a performance from the Piraeus Municipal Theatre and traditional dances from the Keratsini cultural club dance team, called Thymaidai,” PPA said in a statement.
The PPA launched its cooperation with the Municipal Theatre of Piraeus with the show "Sea on the edge, Greece - Climbing the sea" directed by N. Diamantis, a composition of texts from ancient tragedies and poems on a journey where the ancient Greek theater meets poetry and the Greek traditional folk music.
Then took the baton the dance team Thymaidai with representative traditional dances rousing the tourists, who also tasted features Greek products (graviera cheese, crackers, olives, feta cheese and raki). The performances will be repeated in other arrivals in the tourist season of 2016.
It is known that benefits from the increase of cruise diffuse both local communities and the national economy, especially when they come from cruise itineraries using Greek ports as ports of departure (homeporting).
Several cruise lines, such as Celestyal Cruises, Azamara Club Cruises, Celebrity Cruises, Princess Cruises, Cunard Line, Costa Cruises, Seabourn Cruise Line, are using the port of Piraeus for turnaround.
The cooperation with Carnival Cruise Lines will contribute to further development of homeporting, since the new ship of Carnival Vista 336 meters long with capacity of 5,300 passengers, is expected to transfer a total of more than 50,000 passengers during the summer of 2016 from and to Piraeus.
This has already reflected in the provisional figures of the first half of the current year with an increase of 14% in homeporting compared with 2015.
“PPA, in order to achieve smooth ship and passenger service has implemented a series of measures and now it serves in the best and safest way over 10,000 passengers in every turnaround, in covered areas of 7,500 square meters,” PPA said.
Crystal Cruises moves to Port Everglades in 2017
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- Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä
- Category: Ports & Destinations Ports & Destinations
- Published: 25 June 2016 25 June 2016
Broward County's Port Everglades welcomes the return of Crystal Cruises' ships beginning in October 2017.
"Fort Lauderdale is an ideal fit for our ships, itineraries and discerning guests, with its close proximity to an international airport and reputation for outstanding service that mirrors Crystal's own," said Crystal President and CEO Edie Rodriguez. "With these things in mind, we are relocating select fall sailings and look forward to working with Port Everglades to expand our itineraries in this market."
Crystal Serenity and Crystal Symphony will sail a total of eight sailings to and from Port Everglades beginning October 27, 2017.
"We are already working with Crystal Cruises' outstanding team to ensure every sailing from Port Everglades is exceptional," said Port Everglades Chief Executive & Port Director Steven Cernak. Crystal Cruises last sailed from Port Everglades in 2006.
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