The new cruise quay in Visby has opened in connection with the visit to the port of the ship AIDAdiva. The venture is a collaboration between Region Gotland and Copenhagen Malmö Port, CMP, with Region Gotland building the quay and CMP taking responsibility for the actual operation starting from now. At the same time, both parties are marketing Gotland as a destination together with Gotland Cruise Network.
Work started in February 2016 on the new cruise quay in Visby, and it has now been opened for arrivals completely in accordance with the time schedule. The official inauguration was held, with almost 200 guests participating. The ship AIDAdiva arrived in the morning and is the second ship to have docked at the new quay. The ship Astoria visited Gotland as early as April 16.
“CMP has long and positive experience of developing cruise ports and marketing destinations. The fact that we are now also able to offer our customers Visby as a cruise destination is a milestone. It makes the cruise routes in the Baltic Sea even more attractive. Today is a big day and we are delighted to have the opportunity to be involved in developing Gotland as a cruise destination”, says Barbara Scheel Agersnap, CEO of Copenhagen Malmö Port AB.
90 arrivals with a total of some 90,000 passengers are scheduled to visit Gotland during this year’s cruise season. The aim is to reach 150,000 passengers within a few years.
“Together with CMP and Gotland Cruise Network, we want to establish conditions for the visitors to have unique and positive experiences of cruising to Gotland and that businesses throughout Gotland perceive the business opportunities our initiative and our collaboration with CMP entail,” says Peter Lindvall, Regional Director of Region Gotland.
Sustainability issues have played a major role during the project. The ships that come to Visby can empty their waste water into an underground basin, from where it is pumped onward to the sewage works. The sludge can then be used in biogas production on Gotland.
Two 340 meter long ships can dock simultaneously at the cruise quay. Including abutments, it will extend a total of about 600 meters out into the sea. The terminal, which is adjacent to the quay, is 300 m2 and intended for services for passengers and crew.
