This year the Hamburg Cruise Center celebrated its 15th anniversary with the news that the half-million passenger volume forecast for 2015 will be achieved as early as 2013 as the port forecasts 177 calls.
The German Senate just recently passed a resolution, which covers the setting up of a stationary onshore power supply plant at Altona Cruise Terminal as well as the creation of the infrastructure required at the HafenCity Cruise Terminal to facilitate the supply of electricity to cruise ships via private power barges.
The goal is to realize the concept as quickly as possible. Completion of the barge infrastructure at the HafenCity Terminal is planned for the 3rd quarter of 2014; completion of the onshore power supply plant in Altona for the 3rd quarter of 2015.
Senator Frank Horch, Hamburg’s Senator for Economics, is, furthermore, convinced that this is an important factor in the Port’s energy revolution: “Energy consumption and CO2 emissions should be significantly reduced thanks to energy efficiency measures and intelligent infrastructures as well as environment-friendly mobility. We continue to pursue the goal of reducing the Port’s dependency on conventionally generated electricity. On the one hand by expanding renewable energies and their provision in line with demand and, on the other, by establishing and expanding storage capacities.”
The cruise industry is a significant economic factor. The Chamber of Commerce has now for the second time presented accounts for the value creation of the cruise industry in Hamburg, based on the 2013 figures. The total value creation resulting from cruise ships’ in port added up to nearly 25 million euros.
This is supplemented by the value creation generated by cruise passengers and the ships’ crews. In total their spending is 21 million euros. But passengers are not the only ones to leave money behind them in the city – there are also day tourists who travel to Hamburg for ship’s christenings, Cruise Days and other events. The value creation resulting from visits to the city by this category of person is around 32 million euros in the past year. As the fourth and last area, the study investigates the effects of the cruise industry on other industrial sectors. The value creation of all these associated with the cruise industry is around 192 million euros. All together this sector ears 270 million euros for the Hanseatic city.
The main driver in developing the cruise business is without saying the HCC. Managing Director Gerd Drossel is optimistic, “that a bright future lies ahead based on the vision shared by its 20 founding members back in 1998 when the association was established to revive the cruise business in Hamburg. Together with the members – who include shipping lines, agents, port companies, ship chandlers, catering enterprises and hotels, the association has turned Hamburg into one of the most popular cruising destinations in Europe”.
