By
Rebecca Gibson |
Cruise Gate Hamburg (CCG) is to host seven maiden calls, as well as a record 12 cruise vessels during the seventh annual Hamburg Cruise Days festival, in 2019.
Next year, the German city’s three cruise terminals will welcome inaugural visits from Costa Cruises’ Costa Smeralda, Hurtigruten’s Roald Amundsen, TUI Cruises’ Mein Schiff 2, nicko cruises’ World Explorer, and Hapag-Lloyd’s Hanseatic Inspiration. In addition, Hapag-Lloyd’s Hanseatic Nature and MSC Cruises’ MSC Grandiosa will be christened at the port during their respective maiden calls in Apriland November.
To be held from 13-15 September, the Hamburg Cruise Festival will be attended by AIDA Cruises’ AIDAperla, AIDAsol and AIDAvita; Costa Cruises’ Costa Mediterranea (Costa Cruises), Hapag-Lloyd Cruises’ Europa and Europa 2; MSC Cruises’ MSC Preziosa; Phoenix Reisen’s Amadea; nicko cruises’ ocean ship World Explorer and river vessel Frederic Chopin; Plantours’ Sans Souci; and TUI Cruises’ Mein Schiff 4.
On the Saturday evening, AIDAperla will lead Europa, MSC Preziosa, Mein Schiff 4 and World Explorer down the River Elbe in the Hamburg Cruise Days parade, which includes a fireworks display. The vessels will be accompanied by 20 tender boats.
“The Hamburg Cruise Days and the BluePort concept developed by Michael Batz significantly enhance citizens’ and visitors’ experience in that they enable them to enjoy and feel the special atmosphere and the city’s maritime identity,” said Michael Otremba, managing director of Hamburg Convention Bureau. “Our high-quality standards, combined with the emotions we evoke when the port becomes a stage, underline the fact that Hamburg has the most eventful port in the world.”
The record 2019 will follow a “highly satisfying” 2018 cruise season, which saw CGH handled 220 calls and more than 915,000 passengers. This marks a significant increase from the 198 calls and 813,000 passengers in 2017, as well as the 880,000 passengers CHG originally predicted it would host in 2018. There has also been a 76% rise from 2015.
“This increase in cruise traffic exceeds the European market development,” said Sacha Rougier, managing director of CGH. “Hamburg ranks among the world’s top 20 homeports; in terms of growth it precedes even the homeports of Sydney [Australia] and Miami [US]. However, looking at the successful development since 2015, we also know that this is not the time to lean back and relax. We still need optimal conditions in Hamburg and the support of the shipping companies to continue our success story.”
To achieve continued success, CHG will work with both its parent company Hamburg Port Authority and the City of Hamburg to further increase the number of cruise ships that are connecting to shore power at its Altona berth and bunkering LNG fuel at its Steinwerder terminal. In 2017 and 2018, these measures reduced carbon dioxide emissions in the Port of Hamburg by around 658 tonnes. The new terminal in HafenCity, which is expected to become operational in 2022, will also be fitted with a shore power station.
"We strive to make Hamburg a green port," said Rougier.