The MedCruise Association launched a new working group in Odessa today to promote the Black Sea as cruise destination.

The working group was announced in Odessa jointly by the MedCruise president and MedCruise Black Sea director together with the Ukrainian deputy minister of infrastructure, the acting head of the Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority, the deputy mayor of Odessa and the general manager of Odessa Port.

The group is composed of MedCruise members from the Black Sea region, including the ports of Odessa, Varna, Constanta and Burgas.

The background for the effort is the general absence of cruise ships in the Black Sea and the slow comeback, according to a statement from MedCruise.

“The launching of this working group will have a positive impact on the cruise industry in the whole region and will bring new opportunities to all MedCruise members from the Black Sea –the ports of Odessa, Varna, Constanta,  Burgas, Trabzon and Istanbul- as well as the cruise-industry-related-companies that operate in the region,” commented MedCruise President Airam Diaz Pastor.