Ports & destinations

FCCA adds four member lines

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Ports & Destinations Ports & Destinations; Published: 14 January 2015 14 January 2015

The Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) announces the addition of four member lines. Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises, brands of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd., and Croiseres de France and Pullmantur, brands of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., recently joined the FCCA, bringing the total to 19 Member Lines.

"The increase in Member Lines is significant for the growth of the FCCA and the Caribbean and Latin American regions," said Michele Paige, president of the FCCA. "It represents not just the cruise lines' commitment to the FCCA, but also their future outlook for this crucial market."

Data from Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) showed the market's importance, as the Caribbean reigned as the dominant cruise region in 2014, accounting for over 37 percent of global deployment-an increase over its leading 34 percent share in 2013. Plus recent cruise line infrastructure investments, such as Norwegian's Harvest Caye in Belize and Carnival's Amber Cove in the Dominican Republic and Mahogany Bay in Roatan, proved the industry's intent for future business in the Caribbean and Latin America.

"The Caribbean and Latin America have proven their worth to the industry, but we need to continually build on that success," said Micky Arison, chairman of Carnival Corporation & plc and the FCCA. "Just as our ships and brands innovate, destinations must constantly refresh products to attract new and repeat passengers and compete with global markets. Working with the FCCA is one of the best ways for destinations to stay ahead of the curve "

The FCCA helps destinations and stakeholders with this by developing partnerships and working with them to learn about their individual issues and goals. It then utilizes its knowledge of the industry, along with its Member Line contacts, to tailor an action plan that optimizes the destination's or stakeholder's cruise tourism impact.

A destination or company can access this knowledge and Member Line personnel through the FCCA's membership program and events. Both include functions that gather the industry's decision makers with stakeholders in casual, engaging settings for a healthy mix of business and pleasure that helps form significant relationships. Members and attendees experience this balance while cementing deals at a friendly dinner or getting an inside look at industry projects on unforgettable tours.

The FCCA's keynote event, the Conference & Trade Show, taking place in Cozumel, Mexico from October 6 - 9, 2015, will also showcase this balance during its four-day agenda chock-full of business sessions and networking opportunities. Attendees can target cruise executives during one-on-one meetings or evening functions, as well as learn from the executives during workshops that cater to informing attendees how to increase their share of cruise tourism.

Port of Auckland gaining popularity as cruise port

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: Ports & Destinations Ports & Destinations; Published: 09 January 2015 09 January 2015

Auckland’s current cruise season has had a good start with 35 cruise calls to date. The port expects a record 257,000 passengers and crew this summer. Alan Lam reports.

New Zealand’s economic hub is proving to be a popular destination for an increasing number of cruise lines, with seven maiden callers since 2013. During the 2014-15 cruise season, the port expects three maiden callers and an entirely new cruise line to visit. There will be five days when the port hosts three cruise ships simultaneously.

Royal Caribbean’s Voyager of the Seas made its first record breaking visit on 13 December 2014 and returned to the city’s Princes Wharf during the first week of 2015bringing in about 3,800 passengers on each call.

Ports of Auckland Limited predicts an average of one to two cruise ship visits per week, each carrying around 2,360 passengers and 731 crew, an increase of 10,000 on the previous season.

The value added benefit to the city’s economy this season is projected to be $1.8 million per cruise ship, supporting nearly 2,700 jobs.

Last season the port hosted 34 cruise ships on 88 visits that brought in about 195,000 passengers and crew.

Two new cruise berths for Shanghai

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: Ports & Destinations Ports & Destinations; Published: 30 December 2014 30 December 2014

Two new cruise berths will be added to Shanghai’s Wusongkou International Cruise Terminal, China’s largest cruise port, in the first half of 2015. Alan Lam reports.

In a planned press conference, Shanghai Municipal Government confirmed that Phase Two of theWusongkou terminal project would commence in early 2015. The work will add two new berths to the existing ones. In an effort to improve handling this part of the project will also implement further supporting structure for cruise business, such as office spaces for travel agents.

The initial decision to build the Wusongkou terminal was driven by the realisation of the limitations of the older Shanghai Port International Cruise Terminal, which could only accommodate three medium-size ships of no bigger than 87,000 gross tonnes each. The city quickly decided to build its second terminal to accommodate bigger ships and the rapidly growing demand.

Upon its opening in 2011, Wusongkou became the country’s biggest and most advanced world class cruise terminal.

Since then Shanghai has inaugurated a third terminal, the Baoshan International Cruiser Homeport, which is nowthe only profitable Chinese cruise port. In anticipation of an unrelenting growth in the city’s cruise business, there have been talks of building a fourth terminal in a not too distance future.

By the end of November, Shanghai has become the first Chinese port to surpass the one million annual cruise throughput, reaching 1.16 million, representing a 60.1% year-on-year growth.

Phase Two is a part of the on-going Wusongkou project. Adding the two new berthswill propelthe terminal further into its pole position, at least for now.

Port of Heraklion reduces ecological footprint and wins award for the work

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: Ports & Destinations Ports & Destinations; Published: 07 January 2015 07 January 2015

The Port of Heraklion on the Greek island of Crete says it is investing in new technologies o reduce its ecological footprint and that it has won an ward in recognition of this work.

"Funds have been allocated to develop systems for the reduction of natural resource wastage and greenhouse gases. A modern water management system is now already in place to control the port’s landscaping irrigation network," the port company said in a statement.

In the area of energy conservation, a special study was recently completed for the installation of a geothermic system to cover the air-conditioning needs of the 2,500 m² passenger terminal. This system will significantly reduce conventional power consumption to the benefit of the environment, given that electricity in Crete is produced with oil powered generators

Additionally, a new lighting plan has been prepared to replace conventional lighting with LED, with implementation already in progress. Also, all illuminated signage and advertising billboards installed in various locations in the port are now powered by solar energy.

In recognition of its tangible commitment to environmental protection, on 17th December 2014 Heraklion Port Authority S.A. received the Silver Award in the “Port Management – Eco Port – Technologies for Sea Water Renewal” category of the “Environmental Awards 2015”.

Shanghai ranks eighth among cruise homeports

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: Ports & Destinations Ports & Destinations; Published: 27 December 2014 27 December 2014

The meteoric rise of Shanghai as a global cruise homeport has been underscored in a joint report by China Cruise & Yacht Industry Association,Shanghai Hongkou District Government and Shanghai International Shipping Institute. In terms of volume it is now the eighth biggest homeport in the world. Alan Lam reports.

In 2014, Shanghai became the first Chinese city to reach the one-million annual cruise tourist throughput. During the same year mainland China operated no fewer than 466 cruises, representing a year-on-year increase of 14.78% according to the report, including 366 homeport voyages, a 9.3% increase.

There were about 739,600 Chinese passengers who boarded the cruises from Chinese ports. The Shanghai Port International Cruise Terminal alone received 576,000 tourists during the year, surpassing Singapore as the largest cruise terminal in Asia.

The government is keen to make China the largest cruise market in Asia-Pacific by 2020. There is a frenzy of activity within the sector. In 2013, Shanghai Maritime Bureau gave priority to cruise ship traffics over other commercial vessels, thus adding further impetus to Shanghai’s cruise business.

The number of cruises that will originate from Chinese ports is expected to reach 12 in 2015, as compared with eight in 2014. The number of Chinese mainland tourists taking cruises will exceed one million for the first time in 2015. The market size of the Chinese cruise industry, especially in respect to the number of cruise tourists, will grow by at least 30% in 2015.

It is very likely that Shanghai will soon move up from its current 8^th position.