Ports & destinations

Port Everglades launches enhanced website, porteverglades.net

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Ports & Destinations Ports & Destinations; Published: 23 October 2013 23 October 2013

Port Everglades is launching its newly redesigned website, porteverglades.net, offering visitors an exciting user experience through a wide range of multimedia content, intuitive navigation and powerful visual appeal.

“Port Everglades is South Florida’s powerhouse port, so we decided to revamp our website to better reflect our position in the global market,” said Steven Cernak, Port Everglades Chief Executive and Port Director. “We based many features on user feedback and changing trends in the industry. Visitors to the new portevergaldes.net site will find enhanced content that is more tailored and easier to find, and all aimed at improving the overall experience for users.”

The website’s new clean look and simplified navigations allows for easy loading on smart phones, tables and other mobile devices.

The site is broken down into seven sections, each intended to efficiently serve its particular audience: about us, business, cargo, community, cruising, expansion and media. Navigation enhancements include global navigation at the top, social media links on every page, easy-to-read left-hand navigation, more photographs, improved site map at the bottom of every page, and handy icons for even faster navigation.

The homepage and landing pages feature visually creative marketing-branded icons that click directly to the most visited pages on the site and those that best tell the Port Everglades story. Travel links to the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau also help cruise guests better plan their pre- and post-cruise visits to Greater Fort Lauderdale.

New tools since the site was launched in 2009 include a video gallery, an interactive Cruise Guide, printable pages, social media sharing, photo carousel, and “breadcrumb trail” that allows visitors to easily return to previously view pages.

Port of San Diego launches free cruise schedule app

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Ports & Destinations Ports & Destinations; Published: 18 October 2013 18 October 2013

The Port of San Diego has announced a new, free mobile app designed to help travelers plan and coordinate cruises to and from San Diego.

The "CruiseSchedule Port of San Diego" is a free download from the App Store designed for iPhones and iPads. The app’s release coincides with the start of the Port’s 2013-2014 cruise season.

The app provides updated information on this year’s cruise season schedule with full voyage itineraries. It also includes details about:

•              Scheduled cruise calls
•              Cruise line information
•              Cruise ship information
•              Cruise itineraries
•              Long term parking options

The must-have resource for travelers was developed through a partnership between the Port of San Diego and the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA).

"The Port of San Diego is one of several ports across the country launching the innovative CruiseSchedule app this year to better serve the public with information about cruises,” said Chair of the Board of Port Commissioners Ann Moore. “We are pleased to link with a national strategy that promotes the cruise industry and attracts visitors to our Port.”

The app was developed earlier this year by Neil Kutchera, an employee of the Port of Everglades. Other versions were then made for other Ports. He said approximately 1,000 copies of CruiseSchedule are downloaded each month.

“The feedback I have received has been overwhelmingly positive. The favorite features have been the interactive itinerary maps and deck plans,” Kutchera said. “If someone has booked a cruise they always want to open the deck plans to zoom in and see their cabin.”

The Port of San Diego kicked off its cruise season on Thursday, September 19, 2013, with the arrival of the year's first ship, the Holland America Zaandam. The Port's cruise season runs from September through May. Currently 70 vessels are scheduled to arrive, but that number may change as the season progresses.

Although the number of cruise calls has declined over the past few years, the Port of San Diego is confident that business will rebound. A study commissioned by the Port in 2011 by cruise industry consultants Bermello Ajamil & Partners estimates that business will increase by late 2015-2016.

Cruise Norway predicts 8% fall in passenger numbers in 2014

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: Ports & Destinations Ports & Destinations; Published: 11 October 2013 11 October 2013

Cruise Norway, the organisation that promotes Norway as a cruise destination, expects the number of both cruise calls and passenger numbers to fall slightly next year after an increase in both this year on 2012.

A total of 2098 cruise calls have been reported in the country’s ports for next year, while the number of guests is estimated at 2,740,693.

“This corresponds to a 4% decline in the number of calls and 8% fewer guests. Most Norwegian ports are operating with a forecast ship occupancy rate of 85%,’ Cruse Norway said in a statement.

This year there have been 2187 cruise calls at Cruise Norway`s 41 member ports, representing a total of 2,982,594 day visits. This is 6% up on 2012 measured by the number of cruise calls and an 18% increase in the number of visits.

Cambiaso & Risso to open new office in Hong Kong

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Ports & Destinations Ports & Destinations; Published: 15 October 2013 15 October 2013

As from November 1st, shipagent Paolo Risso & C. will double their presence in the Far East launching the new Hong Kong-based branch, after having strengthened their Singapore office that’s been providing full port logistic services to cargo and cruise ships for two and a half years.

"We have been conceiving a global plan to compete on all markets and export our philosophy to provide tailor-made services," reports Paolo Risso, the President and CEO of Genoese group operating in Monaco since long. "Our Far Eastern branches entail the beginning of a global expansion plan aimed at attaining a leadership standing in several markets, after the considerable growth we achieved on the Italian and Monegasque markets over the last twenty years," continues Paolo Risso adding that the favourable partnership with Diego Cosulich in Singapore induced them establishing a new branch in Hong Kong, as a preliminary step into the Chinese market, in partnership with this young and skilled professional.

"We are about to reach 4 000 annual calls and are currently conceiving new plans aimed at implementing a more international structure, such as possible joint ventures with international groups so as to be more competitive and provide a high quality ‘tailor-made’ service."

The Genoese company, founded in 1946, boasts branches in Monaco, Italy, France, Spain, Croatia, Slovenia, Singapore and now Hong Kong, recording overall 100 million sales and recruiting over 200 staff.

Port of Piraeus' board approves €120 million expansion

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: Ports & Destinations Ports & Destinations; Published: 09 October 2013 09 October 2013

The Board of Port of Piraeus Authority (PPA), following the adoption by the Ministry of the Environment, Energy and Climate Change of the environmental conditions, approved three steps to expand cruise facilities in the port.

The first one entails approval of the construction of the project “Expansion of the Passenger Port of Piraeus - Cruise South Side”, while the second approval of the notice for a contract providing technical consultancy services for the same project and finally, approval of the funding application and other accompanying documents to the project.

Due to the increase in traffic at the cruise port of Piraeus (+151% over the last decade from 2002 to 2012), the construction of new generation cruise ships (over 300 metres), it was decided in the context of the Investment Program of PPA SA (2010 - 2015) to extend the southern part of the passenger port, a project that will make the port of Piraeus the main hub the Mediterranean cruise sector, the port said in a statement.