By
Rebecca Gibson |
Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines’ Boudicca made her inaugural visit to Poole Harbour in Dorset on 4 June, becoming the largest cruise ship to berth in the UK town to date.
Measuring just over 205 metres long and weighing 28,000gt, Boudicca berthed at Poole Harbour’s South Quay as part of her free eight-day cruise marking the 75th anniversary of the D-Day Landings in Normandy, France. Boudicca’s passengers will participate in the town’s D-Day commemorations, which will be attended by a total of 300 D-Day veterans this week.
“The arrival of our largest cruise ship to date is an especially significant occasion as we are welcoming 300 special guests, the youngest of whom is 92, to mark an important D-Day anniversary,” said Jim Stewart, chief executive of Poole Harbour Commissioners, the trust port that runs the harbour. “Her arrival is also representative of our progress in putting Poole on the map as a hub for bigger cruise ships.”
Boudicca’s call also marks a “significant milestone” in the operation of the new £10 million (US$12.6 million) South Quay, which has been expanded over the past seven years to become a 200-metre-long and 40-metre-wide deep water quay that can accommodate cruise ships carrying more than 1,000 passengers.
The project received £8.5 million in funding from banking group NatWest.
“The initial funding from NatWest allowed us to complete the South Quay, which is already proving to be a catalyst for bringing in new business that will benefit the local economy and has been crucial conclusion to our seven-year expansion plan at the port,” said Stewart. “We have plans to triple the number of cruise ships docking in Poole and are already receiving bookings from cruise companies for 2021.”