Napier Port has marked the welcome of its 1000th cruise ship, with this season being the busiest ever. Napier Port CEO Todd Dawson anticipated a joyful celebration as the current bumper cruise season has broken records.
According to Dawson, this season was the busiest yet, with 72 cruise visits already and another 17 bookings through to early April. There have also been double and triple ship stays than ever before, and they have also received several maiden cruise line calls.
Dawson emphasised the significant economic boost the cruise industry brings to Hawke's Bay. With more than 130,000 cruise visitors expected, the local economy is set to benefit, particularly during the post-cyclone recovery period.
The recent addition of Te Whiti (6 Wharf) as a multi-purpose berth has increased the port's wharf capacity and provided greater operational flexibility. This enhancement allows teams to efficiently manage the diverse range of cargo vessels efficiently, further improving the port's services.
Tony des Landes, a former port employee, local maritime historian, and regular cruise ambassador volunteer, attended the Silver Muse presentation and observed the increasing number of cruise ships arriving at Napier Port over the last thirty years.
Not only is Napier Port facilitating the arrival of more cruise ships, but the ships are also getting much bigger, bringing a growing number of visitors to the region. The boom of the cruise industry over the last couple of seasons has been spectacular.
The Ovation of the Seas is the largest vessel of any type to call at Napier Port and will visit six times this season, carrying close to 5,000 passengers each voyage.
