The Port of Kiel Delegation Paid a Visit to the Passenger Port of St. Petersburg
25 September 2019
On September 25, 2019, the Port of Kiel delegation represented by Dirk Klaus, Managing Director, and members of the Supervisory Board visited the Passenger Port of St. Petersburg. The visit was a part of the development of partnerships between the ports of the Baltic Sea region.
Upon arrival at the Passenger Port of St. Petersburg, the delegation was told about the history of the Port and the adjacent built-up territory, the existing infrastructure opportunities, and the promising development projects.
During the meeting, the parties discussed the main areas of the cruise and ferry tourism development in the Baltic, summed up the intermediate results of cruise navigation in 2019, and outlined new vectors of cooperation between the ports.
Vadim Kashirin, Director General of Passenger Port of St. Petersburg “Marine Façade” PLC, informed the guests about the Port development investment projects, including infrastructure ones: reconstruction of the checkpoint under the Cross-Border Cooperation Program “Russia – Southeast Finland” 2014-2020, construction of offshore bollards, and construction of a sports center. The managers of the Passenger Port of St. Petersburg also announced their plans to create a sea passenger shipping company in St. Petersburg and to create a regular ferry service on the Baltic from St. Petersburg.
Among the main areas of cooperation, they noted increasing the Baltic region attractiveness for cruise and ferry lines by creating and maintaining a favorable climate for all stakeholders in the cruise industry, including improving the ship service quality and expanding the list of services, in particular, LNG fuel bunkering.
At the end of the meeting, the parties outlined the future joint initiatives, including facilitating the visa regime for citizens of the Russian Federation. They also agreed on the information exchange and joint participation in activities aimed at developing the tourism potential of both cities. The parties expressed confidence that the joint work would further increase the interest of tourists in the Baltic region, whereas launching the ferry service from St. Petersburg would increase the tourist traffic significantly.
The delegation invited the managers of the Passenger Port of St. Petersburg to pay a return visit to the Port of Kiel, to get acquainted with the infrastructure and operational experience of the port.
The Port of Kiel is one of the most versatile ports in the Baltic region. Its geographical location and direct communication with the national railway and road transport and logistics networks render the Port very attractive for both cargo and passenger traffic. The Port of Kiel is included on most cruise routes and regular ferry services.
