Nelson Mandela Bay municipality’s economic development, tourism and agriculture department toasted to a successful cruise ship season on Friday on the deck of the behemoth Serenade of the Seas at the Port of Port Elizabeth.
The capping-off event brought the curtain down on several bustling months on the passenger liner front in which a record 37 vessels carrying 50,000 visitors docked.
It culminated in a notable improvement on the 34 ships, totalling 45,000 tourists, anchoring in Bay waters between 2022 and 2023.
The estimated R81.5m economic impact generated eclipsed the previous R74.5m figure, marking a season of notable highs.
The increased cruise activity at the multi-cargo port since October — translating in nine additional unplanned dockings — resulted from conflict in the Middle East and shipping safety concerns in the Red Sea.
Municipal officials heralded the final docking of the season, welcomed on board GTS [gas turbine ship] Serenade of the Seas by Captain Kjell Nordmo, after last porting in Pointe Des Galets, Reunion Island.
The 795-passenger colossus is the largest to dock in the Bay in the longest-ever voyage by a cruise line, reaching local shores on the 166th of a maiden 274-day Ultimate World Cruise.
Serenade of the Seas, a radiance-class cruise ship — one of four operated by Royal Caribbean International built between 2001 and 2004 at Meyer Werft shipyard in Germany — departed Miami in the US on December 10 2023 for an expedition to 65 countries.
With Mossel Bay the next stop on the tour, economic development, tourism and agriculture political head Shuling Lindoor gave a thumbs up to the season that was.
“It was a year of great success for the directorate, with 37 ships docking,” she said.
“There were a few minor incidents when some [of the visiting tourists] went [around] without guides.
“But safety and security, and public health, were on board [to deal with issues].”
Mayor Gary van Niekerk said the tourism activity had ploughed lucratively into the economy and projections indicated the trend would continue next season.
“We’re looking forward to next year and, I think, the target [for the number of ships] should always be 50,” he said.
“It will be bigger and better, and we will ensure tourists are safe.
“Our role as the municipality is to secure the city, not only when tourists visit, but more so when they do, through collaboration with travel agencies, law enforcement and security.
“Tourism is one of the biggest injectors into the metro’s economy.”
Port of Port Elizabeth deputy harbour master Vuyani Ntsimango said: “We implemented a unique process of using the Charl Malan Quay, granting Transnet National Ports Authority the capacity to accommodate passenger liners by maximising the berth occupancy.
“We also worked with terminal operators, who were receptive to the port authority’s plan.
“This collaboration allowed for fulfilling the demands of the cruise liners docking without compromising the port’s daily operations.
“It also highly strengthened relations with terminal operators.”
HeraldLIVE
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