New facilities for cruise industry at Lerwick
The harbour at Lerwick, Shetland, UK has been provided with additional facilities to cater to the cruise industry which is expected to deliver another two record seasons, continuing a trend which saw record traffic in 2015 and 2016.
The new £16.5 million multi-purpose jetty at Holmsgarth North, completed in late 2016, is set to be used by a cruise ship for the first time on 12 June when Viking Star berths.
The outside arm of the jetty will be used initially for vessels up to 230 metres in length and Viking ships will be among a number to use Holmsgarth North this summer.
Lerwick Port Authority has commissioned a new unit to be used at the location to provide a focal meet-and-greet station and as an information point for visitors. The towable unit will be a flexible asset to assist the welcoming team with their well-received service.
Victor Sandison. Senior Commercial Executive, Lerwick Port Authority, said: “Holmsgarth North is significant addition to our capacity to welcome cruise ships alongside at a time when the port is attracting more passengers.”
The port is currently expecting almost 62,000 passengers this season, up 22% on 2016, with an increase of 18.2% in the gross tonnage of shipping to 2,591,975 – both new records. The number of ships due is expected to be 76, three fewer than last year, with July and August the busiest months, with 22 and 21 calls respectively.
The season got underway with a visit in April by AIDA Cruises’ vessel, AIDAVita, on a 13-day Nordic Islands & Norway cruise.
By Jake Frith
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