Karl WP Beyer January 18, 2019 - The PORT OF KIEL reports growth of 4.2 percent in the passenger traffic sector to over 2.2 million travelers in 2018. Cruise passengers have a disproportionately large share of the growth with 16.5 percent. Almost 600.000 cruisers boarded and disembarked 169 cruise ships.
Cruise ships calling at Kiel's passenger terminals are getting bigger and bigger. The total tonnage rose in 2018 by 15,3 percent to more than 11,5 million GT. For the current year, the total tonnage will again increase. With 179 calls by 33 ships reported so far, the total tonnage should be over 15 million GT. A total of 620.000 travelers are expected in the cruise segment. Most often ships of the shipping companies AIDA / Costa, TUI Cruises and MSC fly the flag in the port of Kiel. The front runners are AIDA and TUI Cruises, each with four ships.
NEW Mein Schiff 1 at Kiel's Ostseekai
MSC can claim the title of the largest ship of the 2019 season with the MSC Meraviglia. The ship, measured at around 171.600 GT, has more than 5.700 passenger beds. Further highlights in the port of Kiel are the AIDAprima, the Nieuw Statendam, the new flagship of the Holland America Line and the brand new Mein Schiff 2. It is currently in the port of Kiel and will be handed over to TUI Cruises on January 22nd by the MEYER Turku shipyard.
Kiel - Ostseekai cruise terminal
In order for the ferry services and the cruise business to continue to flourish in the future, the PORT OF KIEL is currently investing more than 30 million euros in port expansion and environmental protection. A shore power system is currently being built in the commercial port. Color Line ships can then obtain environmentally friendly green electricity. Further shore power systems at the Ostseekai cruise terminal and at the Schwedenkai are in preparation. As the first cruise ship, the AIDAprima be supplied with environmentally friendly LNG gas during the layover. A second cruise terminal is being built at the Ostseekai. The benefits of the construction project: Whereas two cruise ships were previously handled via one terminal at the Ostseekai, in future each ship will have its own building.
