Port News

Passenger Port of St. Petersburg Marine facade takes first cruise ship under the Japanese flag

During her four-month round the world cruise, which began in the city of Yokohama, Japanese cruise liner Asuka II will have a maiden call to the Passenger Port of St. Petersburg 09th May. Until 2006, the liner was owned by the company «Crystal Cruises», named Crystal Harmony and registered under the flag of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas. After being purchased by the company «NYK Cruises» she was refurbished, renamed to Asuka II and registered under the flag of Japan.

Maiden call of Asuka II in Passenger Port of St. Petersburg shows the interest to the ports of the Baltic Sea by the cruise lines of the Asia-Pacific region. Further cooperation of «NYK Cruises» and Passenger Port of St. Petersburg will increase the number of cruise tourists arriving from this region.

Operator «NYK» was founded in 1885 and at its disposal more than 800 cargo ships, and more recently to a subsidiary «NYK Cruises» belong passenger ships - Asuka II, Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity.

Asuka II is 241 meters long and carries 872 passengers. It was built in 1990 in Nagasaki shipyard Mitsubishi Heavy Industries as the first ship for «Crystal Cruises». At this point, the liner is the largest cruise ship, which sails under the flag of Japan.

Her cruise liner began from the islands of Indonesia, then visited Australia, South Africa, Mauritius, Namibia and Tenerife. After went to Europe and called ports of Lisbon, Antwerp and Gdynia. 09th May the ship will call the Passenger Port of St. Petersburg and then Asuka II will visit Tallinn, Stockholm, Bergen and Reykjavik. After that ship will go to North and South America and then come back to Yokohama. In total vessel will make 28 port calls in 22 countries around the world.