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MSC Cruises to build and operate new terminal in Barcelona

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Ports & Destinations Ports & Destinations; Published: 02 June 2021 02 June 2021

MSC Cruises has obtained final approval by the Port of Barcelona’s Board of Directors to build and operate an exclusive cruise terminal. This multi-year concession will see the construction of an innovative terminal of 11,670 square meters (≈125,614 sq. ft.) that MSC Cruises will operate and manage for a 31-year period. The project is estimated to represent a EUR 33 million investment by MSC Cruises. With construction work set to start shortly, the new terminal is expected to enter service in 2024.

Pierfrancesco Vago, MSC Cruises’ Executive Chairman, said: “We are particularly pleased with the award of this multi-year new terminal concession. Barcelona is not only an important homeport for the cruises division, but also for the entire Group and its shipping business. As such, the new terminal is a further proof of MSC Group’s longstanding commitment to the city of Barcelona and the entire Catalonia region.

“I am also honored that for this project we will able to partner with the impressive Ricardo Bofill and his firm. Together, we will build a state-of-the-art new terminal that is bound to become another landmark for the beautiful city of Barcelona.

“Perhaps most importantly, the new terminal will allow us to operate expanded homeport operations, resulting in added direct and indirect economic benefit for the city and the overall region. This will come from higher spent locally by our international guests either flying into or out of Barcelona airport and likely to spend additional days in the city and its hotels together with their traveling parties. Homeport operations will also allow us to dedicate to Barcelona more of our new ships – including the LNG-powered MSC World Europa which is currently under constructions and is shaping up to become one of the most environmentally friendly ships at sea when she comes into service.

“Finally, the new terminal allows us to further demonstrate our commitment to environmental sustainability as it will feature both shore power facilities as well as LNG bunkering operations.”

This project will allow MSC Cruises to consolidate its presence in Barcelona, which is one of the brand’s most important ports in the Western Med, and to expand its homeporting operations out of the city. This will result in added direct and indirect economic benefit for the city and region as more international guests will transit through Barcelona, likely spending additional days in the city either before or after their cruise.

The new terminal, which will feature shore power facilities and be ready for LNG bunkering operations, will also allow MSC Cruises to deploy more next-generation, environmentally friendly ships in Barcelona. This includes MSC World Europa, the brand’s first LNG-powered cruise ship, which is currently under construction and due to enter service in 2022.

For this project MSC Cruises is partnering with the globally renowned Catalan architect Ricardo Bofill and his studio. Together, they hope to build a state-of-the-art terminal that becomes become another landmark for the city.

Not only is Barcelona an important port for MSC Cruises, but also for the entire MSC Group. Both cargo operator MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company and ferry operator GNV have a solid presence in the port. As such, the new terminal is a further proof of MSC Group’s longstanding commitment to Barcelona, Catalonia and the whole of Spain.

Global Ports Holding raises strategic financing to strengthen balance sheet and pursue growth opportunities

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Ports & Destinations Ports & Destinations; Published: 24 May 2021 24 May 2021

Global Ports Holding Plc (GPH), the world's largest independent cruise port operator, and Sixth Street, a leading global investment firm, have entered into a $261 million financing arrangement. This new investment from Sixth Street will strengthen GPH’s balance sheet and provide flexible growth capital for GPH to pursue expansion opportunities at a dynamic juncture in the global cruise industry.

“GPH operates ports in some of the most important cruise hubs in the Caribbean and Mediterranean and benefits from real scale across the world’s major cruise destinations,” said Michael Griffin, Partner at Sixth Street and head of the Specialty Lending team in Europe. “We believe GPH is well-positioned to continue to grow its long-term relationships in key markets as the cruise industry and the local economies that depend on it begin to recover.”

“As the world’s largest independent cruise port operator, this timely capital raise reinforces our position as the market leader and gives us the financial flexibility to take advantage of growth opportunities with the resumption of cruising,” said H. Emre Sayın, CEO of Global Ports Holding Plc. “We appreciate Sixth Street providing us with financing certainty at an important moment for the global cruise industry, and we look forward to using this capital to continue to expand our business.”

With the latest addition of Taranto Cruise Port to its network, today Global Ports Holding operates 20 ports in 13 countries. Its industry leading ports, Valletta Cruise Port and Marina Bay Cruise Centre Singapore, were the first to start operations with their Health & Safety Protocols approved through collaboration with all local stakeholders. Today, the GPH Cruise Ports which have been awarded the “Safe Travels” stamp by the WTTC, are ready to welcome the cruise passengers to their destinations.

Vaccinations at Port Everglades getting shots to mariners at sea

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Ports & Destinations Ports & Destinations; Published: 21 May 2021 21 May 2021

Mariners aboard cruise and cargo ships docking at Port Everglades are receiving Covid-19 vaccinations through partnerships that include the Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM), the Port, Seafarers’ House, Celebrity Cruises, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises and Royal Caribbean International.

Within the past two weeks, more than 1,570 mariners aboard some 25 cruise and cargo ships have been vaccinated. The vaccination program at Port Everglades will continue throughout June and is also open to all port workers and those who conduct business at Port Everglades.

In addition, the Port worked with the state to set up a mobile site that is open to the public at the Resolve Marine Academy at 1550 SE 17th Street in Fort Lauderdale. For more information, call 720-530-4474.

Seafarers’ House at Port Everglades is assisting in the effort by transporting health care workers directly to ships dockside to administer vaccinations.

“We are grateful to the State of Florida and our cruise line partners for making the vaccines available to those at sea,” said Jonathan Daniels, Port Everglades Chief Executive and Port Director. “This is a vital humanitarian effort to reach crew members who often don’t have access to landside medical facilities.”

Port Everglades is one of five Florida seaports where the Florida Division of Emergency Management has arranged for port workers to be vaccinated.

Gibraltar ready to welcome back cruise ships

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Ports & Destinations Ports & Destinations; Published: 19 May 2021 19 May 2021

The Minister for Business, Tourism, Transport and the Port has announced that Gibraltar is now ready to welcome back cruise ships, their passengers and their crew. The Port of Gibraltar and the Gibraltar Tourist Board have continued to work proactively during this pandemic to support the cruise industry. These efforts were recognised by MedCruise during the second edition of the Association’s awards where Gibraltar was named as the “Western Mediterranean MedCruise port showing the greatest commitment during the pandemic."

Minister for Business, Tourism, Transport and the Port, the Hon Vijay Daryanani MP said: “With the necessary safety protocols now in place, I am pleased to announce that Gibraltar is now ready to welcome back cruise ships. I have been discussing the resumption of cruise calls now for a while with cruise executives and we have worked hard to ensure that we can make this happen. The local shore excursion agents and shipping agents are also now prepared to continue their excellent tasks. In addition, the cruise companies have carried out impressive work in terms of on-board testing and screening facilities, which will be part of their protocols.

Gibraltar offers many advantages for cruise itineraries with our excellent port facilities and our great range of shore excursion opportunities. The proximity of the port to the city centre is a great advantage, where transit times for passengers to enjoy the uniqueness of the destination are minimal, a fact that is often welcomed by passengers and shore excursion management teams .Thanks to the assistance offered by the Government in the UK, the population of Gibraltar is fully vaccinated, making us one of the safest destinations in Europe to travel to at present. Aside from many of the physical protocols that will remain in place, if passengers and crew have either a valid PCR or lateral flow test taken up to 72 hours before arrival they will be able to disembark and visit Gibraltar. I have now written to all the cruise lines that normally call at Gibraltar and others I would like to attract or welcome back, to let them know that we are open for business again.I am committed to rebuilding this important source of revenue for our tourism, retail, leisure and hospitality industry and we look forward to welcoming cruise ships and their passengers and crew to Gibraltar.”

Galveston Wharves to welcome first Norwegian Cruise Line ship

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Ports & Destinations Ports & Destinations; Published: 12 May 2021 12 May 2021

Galveston Wharves announced today that Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Prima would set sail from the Port of Galveston in fall 2022. This is the brand’s first new class of ships in nearly 10 years and the first-ever Norwegian Cruise Line ship to sail from Galveston.

Rodger Rees, Galveston Wharves port director and CEO, said, “We’re thrilled that Norwegian Cruise Line chose Galveston, the fourth most popular cruise port in the U.S., as one of the first U.S. ports to debut its newest ship.”

The ship’s visit to Galveston, the only cruise port in Texas, is part of a larger effort to debut its newest ship in a number of major markets. Galveston is a major drive-to market with 30 million people living within a 300-mile radius.

On Oct. 15 the 140,000-ton, 3215-passenger Norwegian Prima will depart for Galveston from New York on a 12-night Caribbean voyage that will include stops at Curacao, Bonaire and Aruba. While in Galveston, Norwegian Prima will sail two roundtrip Western Caribbean voyages: a 3-day cruise on Oct. 27 and a 4-day cruise on Oct. 31.

Port officials are in discussions with the cruise line and hope to pen a memorandum of understanding for a long-term strategy beginning in November 2023.