The Passenger Port of St. Petersburg at the International Cruise Exhibition Seatrade Europe 2019
16 September 2019
On September 11-13, 2019, representatives of Passenger Port of St. Petersburg “Marine Façade” PLC took part in the international cruise exhibition Seatrade Europe 2019 held in the congress and exhibition center Hamburg Messe in Hamburg, Germany.
The International Cruise Industry Exhibition Seatrade Europe was traditionally held in Hamburg, the most visited tourist port of Germany. For several days, this port city became a real Mecca of the European cruise industry, bringing together the largest cruise lines, global and regional cruise destinations as well as suppliers of all sectors of the maritime and inland cruise industry. Notwithstanding the prefix “Europe,” ports and destinations from far beyond Europe were represented at the exhibition: from the Caribbean to the Indian Ocean. In addition to the Seatrade Europe exhibition, Hamburg hosted on September 13-16 the so-called “cruise days,” which included many festival events at the city port. Especially for “cruise days,” the Hamburg embankment was illuminated with blue lights, and on September 14, a ship parade passed along the Elbe. In addition, near the Seatrade Europe venue, another exhibition was open to visitors: MARINE INTERIORS Cruise & Ferry Global Expo, dedicated to the marine interior design and the equipment and technologies onboard passenger ships.
More than 5,000 exhibitors in total attended Seatrade Europe this year, with a record number of cruise line representatives, which certainly indicates the sustainable development of the European cruise market. In his speech at a panel session on the state of the European cruise industry, Michael Thamm, Chairman of CLIA Europe Association, announced the growth of the cruise business, which is expressed in the fleet digital indicators. Thus, the cruise fleet currently includes 290 operating ships and 114 construction orders planned for the next 8 years. 95 speakers made presentations within the business conference program to address various issues: from eco-friendly cruises and interior design to the use of modern digital technology.
The International Exhibition hosted several business meetings between the top managers of “PP of SPb MF” PLC and representatives of leading cruise companies: Royal Caribbean Cruise Line, MSC Cruises, Viking Ocean Cruises, Tallink Grupp, Hapag-Lloyd, the representatives of Cruise Line International Association (CLIA), etc. During the meetings, the parties discussed the prospects for further cooperation and the tourist potential of St. Petersburg as the major cruise destination of the Baltic Sea. Representatives of cruise lines appreciated the high-level quality of service for cruise ships in the Passenger Port of St. Petersburg and confirmed the passenger traffic growth for the next years.
The Port delegation also held meetings with representatives of the ports of Rostock and Lübeck. The Port managers discussed the development of cruise and ferry services in the Baltic Sea region. The Ports intend to create the most convenient conditions for receiving and servicing cruise liners and ferries as well as to develop the port infrastructure in line with the current trends in the cruise industry, to improve the quality, and to expand the range of services provided. The parties discussed the prospects for the bunkering of LNG ships and the onshore power supply.
In addition to Seatrade Europe 2019, the delegation of the Passenger Port of St. Petersburg visited the passenger terminal in the Port of Lübeck.
The next Seatrade Europe will be held in the exhibition center Hamburg Messe on September 8-10, 2021.
