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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.

Cambodia may lift visa requirement for cruise tourists

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: Ports & Destinations Ports & Destinations; Published: 19 December 2014 19 December 2014

Cambodia’s Ministry of Tourism is currently looking at the practicability of lifting visa requirement for cruise tourists arriving at its Sihanoukville port. Alan Lam reports.

The pristine resort of Sihanoukville is the country’s only viable ocean cruise terminal and the destination’seconomy is becoming increasingly dependent on tourism, especially on visitors from Southeast Asia and China. Following the recent decision by Vietnam to grant visa-free entry to its Phu Quoc Island - the nearest cruise port to Sihanoukville -Cambodia intends to keep in step with the latest development in the region in an effort to attract cruise traffics to its shores.

Moreover, according to the ministry, the Sihanoukville facility will be upgraded, adding a restaurant and a shopping mall. The port is being included in increasingly number of cruise itineraries in the region. Lifting the visa requirement will accelerate its growth, as it will mean the fall of yet another artificial barrier for cruise business.

Cambodia is a member state of ASEAN. The association is synchronizing many of its policies among its members. It is reasonable to expect that barriers of this kind will continue to tumble as the countries recognise the benefits of cruise tourism to their economies.

CMP to lease planned Visby cruise pier on 20 year contract

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: Ports & Destinations Ports & Destinations; Published: 15 December 2014 15 December 2014

The provincial government of the Swedish island of Gotland and Copenhagen Malmö Port (CMP) today formally signed an agreement whereby the Swedish-Danish port company is to lease a cruise pier to be built in Visby, the island's capital, CMP said in a statement.

"Region Gotland and Copenhagen Malmö Port (CMP) today signed a lease agreement which entails the region investing around SEK 250 million kronor in a new cruise ship quay, with CMP renting the quay for 20 years," the port company said.

- "Now it's full steam ahead for all engines! The construction project is proceeding with planning and various surveys on site, and together with the island's business community we will ensure that Gotland is ready when the quay is completed in 2018", says the regional board's chairman Åke Svensson.

CMP has long experience of developing cruise ship ports and the port in Copenhagen has received a number of awards, including as cruise ship port of the year.

- "We are looking forward to contributing our experience to the collaboration with Region Gotland. This is a significant undertaking for us as we can offer our customers a more attractive cruise route. The fact that we will thereby also be contributing to more tourists visiting Gotland is very satisfying", says Johan Röstin, CEO of Copenhagen Malmö Port AB.

As recently as one year ago the cruise ship quay was a project which almost everyone on Gotland wanted to go ahead, but which nobody believed would happen. A meeting during last year's Almedalen Week sowed the seed for the collaboration which suddenly resolved all the stumbling blocks. With a strong collaborative partner on-board the investment suddenly became significantly less risky and in August all the local authority parties backed the final draft agreement.

The marine archaeological surveys outside Kopparsvik commenced in November, and geotechnical surveys on the sea bed will take place in the spring. The actual construction will start with dredging in spring 2016 and two years later the first cruise liners will put into Gotland's new cruise centre.

- "Constructing a cruise ship port and establishing an attractive cruise destination is an extensive operation, with a large number of public and private actors having to work well together. This is one of the most important reasons behind Copenhagen's success, and something on which we place a lot of importance. The start of the project in Visby has been particularly promising", says Arnt Møller Pedersen, Cruise Manager in Copenhagen Malmö Port AB.

During the period 2000 to 2012, the number of cruise passengers in the Baltic increased from 1.1 million to 4.2. A cruise ship quay in Visby is estimated to increase the number of arrivals to around 150 cruise ships per year, with average passenger numbers of about 1,700 per ship, and revenues generated from tourism of around SEK 90-130 million per year.*

CMP is Northern Europe's leading cruise ship port with some 346 ships and 800,000 passengers a year from more than 150 countries arriving in Copenhagen and Malmö.

Cruise Baltic celebrated 10th anniversary in Copenhagen

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: Ports & Destinations Ports & Destinations; Published: 15 December 2014 15 December 2014

At this month’s Cruise Baltic meeting held in Denmark at the Scandic Copenhagen Hotel, over 40 delegates combined a 2-day business agenda with also celebrating the 10th Anniversary of the original formation of the Association in 2004, the organisation said in a statement.

Representatives from 24 destinations – from both ports and tourism – joined Cruise Baltic Director, Claus Bødker for a comprehensive programme of activity; and in welcoming two prestigious cruise line guests, Steven Young, Director or Port Services & Government Affairs, Carnival UK; and James Langley, Marine Superintendent, Saga Cruises.

Also, making a welcome return to a Cruise Baltic meeting, industry analyst, author and broadcaster Tony Peisley, whose presentation expanded on the theme of his latest research report: “The End of the Beginning for the Cruise Industry”.

The business-of-the-day agenda featured an industry update by Claus Bødker; face-to-face sessions - exchanging knowledge - between the ports and cruise line guests; and in open forum, topics discussed included examples of Best Practices at small, medium and large-sized ports – how to better facilitate communication among partner destinations.

The first day concluded with a tour of Christiansborg Palace and an evening ‘winter wonderland’ walk in wonderful Copenhagen’s Tivoli Gardens – especially magical and atmospheric at this time of the year, with thousands of Christmas lights - and a sumptuous dinner at Nimb.

Back at the Scandic Copenhagen Hotel, the delegates enjoyed some surprise entertainment provided by a talented magician and were also treated to a 10th Anniversary birthday cake and celebratory champagne.

On day 2, stimulating debate between the Cruise Baltic partners and panellists Steven Young and James Langley on ‘how to achieve successful co-operation between the port and the city’ followed on from Tony Peisley’s presentation, when he spoke of what he believed were the important issues facing the itinerary planner today.

“Ten or five years ago, it was probably true that passenger reaction was the main, although by no means the only, driver of itinerary selections. But not now. Whatever anyone says – it is definitely about the money now."

“Briefly for the major corporations, the days of the entrepreneurial spirit, which created and grew the cruise industry through its first 45 years, are over. We are now in an era where business analytics rule and gut instinct is increasingly side-lined, or at least, ignored. Ports and destinations have to accept the new reality and find ways to survive and prosper within it.”

Also on the agenda, delegates had the opportunity to visit Copenhagen Malmö Port, recent recipient of an award for its new Ocean cruise terminals. On behalf of the City of Copenhagen, its Culture and Leisure Committee, awards honours to attractive buildings and urban developments constructed since 1902. The citation stated: “these cruise terminals are outstandingly suited to their function. Their practical expression balances well with their purpose. To those sailing in, the buildings appear like sails, cliffs or waves, rising asymmetrically by the giant cruise liners.”

Another record year for Quintana Roo

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: Ports & Destinations Ports & Destinations; Published: 15 December 2014 15 December 2014

Breaking the record set in the previous year, the Mexican State of Quintana Roo will end 2014 with a new peak in total cruise throughput of its two main ports. Alan Lam reports.

According to Ercé Barrón Barrera, Director General, Port Administration of Quintana Roo (La Administración Portuaria Integral de Quintana Roo), by the end of the year about 25% more cruise calls will be recorded for the current season, bringing in about 3.7 million passengers, as compared to that of 2013, making the state the number one cruise destination in the continent of America.

Last week alone, 40 ships called at Cozumel and Mahahual terminals, disgorging over 120,000 visitors.

A further 60 calls are expected for the remainder of the year; thus the 2014 total cruise call figure will reach 1,200. The estimated passenger spending ashore for the year is above $200 million.

With Pullmantur homeporting one of its ships at Cozumel in June, for 2015, Quintana Roo -Jewel of the Caribbean - expects an even higher number.

The state’s two main cruise ports, Mahahual and Cozumel, are popular with cruise tourists on account of their proximities to various famous archaeological sites.