By
Alex Smith |
The Port of Kiel in Germany was visited by a record 800,000 cruise passengers in 2019, exceeding the port’s expectations.
This year, 32 different cruise ships made a total of 174 calls in Kiel throughout the season, concluding with the visit of AIDA Cruises’ AIDAprima on 12 October.
An expanded cruise terminal in the Ostuferhafen area helped to increase the capacity of the port, allowing ships of more than 4,000 passengers to be handled smoothly. This allowed the adaptation of handling processes at the northern Ostseekai berth, caused by the construction of a second terminal building.
“The cruise season of 2019 went very well for the port of Kiel; the shipping companies and the port cooperated excellently,” said Dirk Claus, managing director of the Port of Kiel. “On the one hand, there is a high growth rate in terms of ship sizes and passenger volume, while on the other hand, the vessels scheduled to visit Kiel are often very young and particularly eco-friendly.”
Construction has also started on the onshore power supply plant at the Ostseekai terminal, which will be the most powerful in a German port when completed. It is expected to supply over 60 ships in its first full year of operation, saving approximately 12,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions.
“With the construction of the onshore power supply plant at the Ostseekai Terminal, Kiel leads the way in terms of sustainability and will become one of the most eco-friendly ports throughout Europe,” said Claus.