By
Rebecca Gibson |
Malta’s Valletta Cruise Port handled a record 902,425 passenger movements during 372 cruise ship calls in 2019. Homeporting calls also rose, accounting for 31% of the total number of ship visits, compared to 22% in 2018. This helped Valletta to solidify its position as one of the top port of calls in the Mediterranean.
2020 will be an important year for Valletta Cruise Port, which operates both the cruise passenger terminal and Valletta Waterfront, and is a subsidiary of Global Ports Holdings. It has several plans to improve port infrastructure, services and onshore experiences. One is to invest over €2 million (US$2.2 million) to improve the visitor experience at Valletta Waterfront by adding new outside canopies and other aesthetic touches. Another is to widen Quays Pinto 4-5 to enable larger cruise ships to berth without the assistance of spacer barges.
In addition, the port authority is supporting Infrastructure Malta and Transport Malta’s €49.9 million (US$54.9 million) project to install shoreside electricity facilities at the five main cruise ship quays in Valletta’s Grand Harbour by the end of 2023. This will allow cruise ships to switch off their engines and use shoreside power while docked in Valletta, which will reduce noise and decrease harmful emissions.
To further improve sustainability, Valletta Cruise Port is also implementing an environmental risk management system. The environmental and conservation policy will comply with ISO 14001:2015, a baseline requirement for almost all national and international green port accreditations.
“Cruise industry growth means that it’s vital for us to invest to improve the port and onshore experience,” says Stephen Xuereb, CEO of Valletta Cruise Port and COO of Global Ports Holding. “We’re also continuing to collaborate with the Malta Cruise Network Forum on a monthly basis to plan future developments. Meanwhile, the friendly and cooperative team that is dedicated to helping cruise visitors with all shoreside matters continues to significantly improve the quality of our services. This is what has made Valletta an award-winning destination that receives excellent feedback from cruise lines and their guests.”
This article was first published in the Spring/Summer 2020 issue of Cruise & Ferry Review. All information was correct at the time of printing, but may since have changed.
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