Port of Gdansk sees new prospects of growth in its cruise industry
The 28th of July saw the magnificent sailing cruise ship "Club Med 2" dock at the Defenders of Westerplatte Quay in the Port of Gdansk, sharing the mooring with the smaller vessel "Serenissima", Port of Gdansk Authority says. The Baltic itinerary of "Club Med 2"was scheduled in the way that a significant number of cruise passengers finished their holiday in the Gdansk port and the new ones embarked. Around 170 passengers disembarked in Gdansk and vacated cabins for a similarnumber of those newly arriving to start their voyage. This was the first passengers' turnaround operation which tested the efficiency and skills of port services, as well as city transport, hospitality and catering business operators. In acquiring the status of a turnaround port as a base port facility on the Baltic cruise ships itinerary, new prospects of growth open up for Gdansk bringing the increased numbers of visitors and expanding the cruise industry in the Baltic Sea.
"Club Med 2" sailing under the French flag is a five-masted sailing ship with additional two diesel-electric engines. Upon leaving Gdansk, she is scheduled to visit Visby, Stockholm, Saint Petersburg, Tallinn and Helsinki. According to the ship's agent Maritime Agency Gdynia, she will dock again at the Defenders of Westerplatte Quay on 20 August for the passengers' turnaround.
"Club Med 2", which was launched in 1996 in Le Havre, France, has 187 metres in length, 20 metres beam and 5.1 metre draught. She offers eight decks with an area of 2,400 square metres, with a maximum carrying capacity of 386 passengers catered to by a 214-member crew. This has been the 24th cruise visit to the Gdansk port this year. The 2014 cruise season was launched on 11 May with arrival of the "Delphin" operating under the Bahamian flag and is due to close on 4 October by the same flag cruise ship "Astor". The six ship agents including: Starboard Shipping Agency, Maritime Agency Gdynia, Polsteam Shipping, Marbalco Shipping, Jupiter Shipping Services and Baltic Gateway have notified a total of 39 cruise ship arrivals in the current cruise season. This is expected to bring an estimated number of 12 thousand visitors to Gdansk.