Similar growth expected for 2018, which will include first visits from Viking Cruises
By
Elizabeth Robinson |
197 cruise ships carrying 810,000 passengers visited the German city of Hamburg in 2017, representing a 10% increase on the previous year, according to Cruise Gate Hamburg (CGH), which operates the city’s three terminals.
“Over the past years the cruise industry has become an important economic factor for the city,” said Sacha Rougier, managing director of CGH. “There is a reason why Hamburg is known for having the most eventful city port in the world. It is a great location to stage cruise events such as the Cruise Days or the Harbour’s Birthday, which ten ships came to celebrate this year. Every year the events draw thousands of visitors to the Hanseatic city. Other spectator magnets are the spectacular ship christenings, sail-out parades and maiden calls. On top, there are the cruise ships themselves that stage evening and other events in the Port of Hamburg.”
Rougier also confirmed that from 2018 the port will welcome Viking Cruises for the first time, with both Viking Sun and Viking Sky scheduled to visit.
CGH also predicts record numbers for 2018, with 220 ships carrying 880,000 passengers expected to visit Hamburg.
Jens Meier, CEO of Hamburg Port Authority, highlighted the availability of environmentally friendly power: “The shore power station in Altona, which is unique in the world, successfully started regular operations at the beginning of the season. Cruise ships mooring there can now be supplied with zero-emission eco-power.” In the 2017 cruise season, 30 per cent of ships that called at the Port of Hamburg used alternative energy such as shore power or liquefied natural gas.