Beginning in January 2009, Gerd Drossel (63) shall assume the position of Managing Director. For the coming season the HCC expects numerous maritime highlights and has already started with the first building measures for the new berth in Altona.
Hamburg. Since January 2009, Hamburg Cruise Center e.V. has had new executive management. Gerd Drossel, former executive board member of the Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG, shall succeed Dirk Moldenhauer (72) as of 01/01/2009. “After over 40 years at HHLA and the related close connection to the port, I now look forward to my new duties in the passenger cruise ship segment”, says Gerd Drossel. After ten successful years, Dirk Moldenhauer is resigning his position as the managing director as of 31/12/2008 owing to personal reasons.
The Hamburg Cruise Center e.V. is looking positively towards the future and is pleased to be able to announce additional cruise highlights for 2009.
On, 20 January, the first campaign for the expansion of the berth in Altona, to be destined for cruise vessels with a length over 300m, has started. The first ship is supposed to dock here in August 2009. It is anticipated that the building for the handling of ships will be completed half a year later. For the berth development, the alignment of the terminal infrastructures, the constructions of the surrounding area and the access road, parking spaces and public areas, the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg provides an investment volume of about 30 Mio. Euro.
One of the totals of five anticipated maiden calls will open the cruise season at the Hamburg Cruise Center on 18 March. The newly constructed “AIDAluna” from AIDA Cruises will give the season “Kick-off”. The shipping company has selected Hamburg to be the home port for two of its cruise vessels (“AIDAcara”, “AIDAaura”).
In 2009, a cruise vessel christening will again take place in the Port of Hamburg. On 15 May, the first ship of the cruise line TUI Cruises GmbH, which is headquartered in Hamburg, will be christened.
For the first time, the “Queen Mary 2” from Cunard will embark upon a seven-day cruise which will begin and end in Hamburg. Her sister ship, the “Queen Victoria”, will visit the Hanseatic city in December during the Christmas cruises.
Furthermore, there will be 11 times where two cruise ships are mooring, one time where three cruise ships are mooring and three times where four cruise ships are mooring in Hamburg. Thus, a total of 88 days on ship. In comparison with 2008 which had 79 days, this constitutes an increase of 11,4 percent.
