A new cruise quay in Visby was officially opened with the visit of the ‘AIDAdiva’.
The initiative is a collaboration between Region Gotland and Copenhagen Malmö Port (CMP) with Region Gotland building the quay and CMP taking responsibility for the operations.
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 berth. The ‘AIDAdiva’ was the second ship to have berthed at the new quay, as ‘Astoria’ arrived on 16th April.
“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,” said Barbara Scheel Agersnap, CMP CEO.
Around 90 ship arrivals bringing a total of 90,000 passengers are scheduled for 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,” said Peter Lindvall, Regional Director of Region Gotland.
Sustainability issues have played a major role during the project. The ships arriving at Visby can empty their waste water into an underground basin, from where it is pumped to the sewage works. The sludge can then be used in biogas production on Gotland.
Two 340 m long ships can dock simultaneously at the cruise quay. Including abutments, the quay extends about 600 m out to sea. The terminal, which is adjacent to the quay, is of 300 sq m and handles both passengers and crew.
