By
Rebecca Gibson |
Germany’s Port of Kiel is to add a second passenger handling facility to its Ostseekai Cruise Shipping Terminal, so it can cater for larger ships carrying more cruise visitors.
Since 2007, Ostseekai has had two cruise ship berths and one terminal building for handling passengers and their luggage. However, as cruise lines have increased the size of their ships, the port has found it more challenging to process the growing number of passengers, particularly when both berths are occupied simultaneously during busy periods. Building a second €7.5 million (US$9.2 million) terminal will enable the port to offer a dedicated passenger handling facility for each cruise ship.
“Sea tourism is a strong growth market sector for the port of Kiel,” said Dirk Claus, managing director of the Port of Kiel. “With a second terminal building we will be in a position to expand our capacities and increase handling quality. We are taking a great leap forward against a background of ever-more visits by cruise ships, and increases in the sizes of those ships. A terminal for every ship berth means the best possible service for shipping companies and passengers.”
Designed by eins:eins architects Hillenkamp & Roselius, the new glass-fronted, two-storey facility will be built as a northern extension to the existing cruise terminal building, offering connection points on both levels. Baggage handling will be carried out on the ground floor, while the upper floor will be used for check-in procedures and offer passenger waiting areas. Passengers will then be able to walk across a gangway and directly onto their cruise ship.
Construction work is scheduled to begin this August, and the facility is expected to be operational by spring 2019.