The £400 million facility will allow the port to accommodate larger and a greater number of ships
By
Amber Hickman |
The Port of Aberdeen in Scotland, UK, is set to welcome a wider range of cruise ships in future following the addition of the £400 million ($492.72 million) deepwater South Harbour.
The facility, which will be able to accommodate larger vessels and more cruise calls, will be completed in the second quarter of 2023. It is set to host its first ship – AIDA Cruises' AIDAaura – on 28 April and will also welcome familiarisation visits from major cruise brands, such as Carnival Group, in preparation for their vessels calling in the 2024 season.
The port will also welcome more than 25 other cruise calls between April and September 2023, which is expected to generate more than £1.5 million ($1.84 million) for the regional economy.
“We’re delighted to welcome a host of new cruise vessels to Port of Aberdeen in the maiden year of South Harbour,” said Bob Sanguinetti, chief executive of the port. “We expect to see year-on-year increases in the number of cruise calls as we ramp up our capacity and capability. It's encouraging to see that major international cruise lines are already booking their larger cruise ships for calls to Aberdeen in 2024 and beyond.”