To meet the cruise industry’s growing demand, Hamburg will open its third cruise terminal in Steinwerder, a former island separated by the Elbe river from downtown Hamburg, according to the port authority.

The Hamburg Cruise Center Steinwerder is designed to handle up to 8,000 passengers at once.

To ensure smooth passenger and baggage flow, the terminal will feature separate entry and exit areas, allowing for simultaneous boarding and disembarking of passengers.

Other cruise terminals are in operation at HafenCity Hamburg and Altona.

With 590,000 passenger arrivals in 2014, Hamburg is now Germany’s number one cruise port.

For the first time in 2015, Norwegian Cruise Line will send the new Norwegian Escape to Hamburg, where it will receive its final touches from Meyer werft.