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Expanded terminal for 2010 season
Albert Poggio
OBE
UK representative
Gibraltar Port Authority
Its key location
at the entrance to the Mediterranean has made Gibraltar one of
the longest-established cruise ports but it has never seen such
consistent growth in its cruise traffic as that it has experienced
in recent years.
A record 2008
total of 224 calls and 320,000 passengers is almost certain to
be followed by another record in 2009 with 245 calls carrying
up to 366,000 passengers scheduled. These include seven inaugural
calls mostly by Costa, Princess and Celebrity ships.
As a result
of this growth, the port is planning to expand the cruise terminal
by converting the building next door to the existing 1997-built
facility and refurbishing the adjoining quayside. Work is due
to start in September and will be completed in time for the 2010
season.
In fact, the
existing terminal has already had an unplanned refurbishment following
an unprecedented storm which hit Gibraltar’s corner of the
Mediterranean last October.
This caused
the terminal serious damage but this was quickly repaired and
the terminal restored to full working order in time for the first
cruise of the 2008 season - by Holland America Line’s Prinsendam
at the end of March.
This quick
and efficient rebuilding operation reflected the expertise which
won the cruise terminal an award for the “most efficiently-managed
and operated cruise terminal in the Mediterranean” category
of the Dream World Cruise Destinations magazine’s awards
programme.
Gibraltar
also received a commendation in the “Destination with the
Best Tour Guides” category. A series of new tours have also
been created to expand the range of excursions cruise lines can
offer in this popular destination.
The port is
also popular with cruise lines because of its bunkering, waste
management and repair facilities.
It promotes
itself primarily through Medcruise, of which it was a founder
member and it remains a very active supporter, as well as Seatrade
and European Cruise Council events such as the annual conference.
It sees this
conference as a vital forum because of the high quality of the
speakers and delegates.
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