“We expect 121 calls and 260,000 passengers this season,” said Veit Huerdler, managing director at Columbus Cruise Center Bremerhaven.

The 260,000 guests are mainly turnaround passengers, with 30,000 coming in via transit calls.

The 2019 cruise season opened in January with a maiden call from the new Mein Schiff 2, while the Spectrum of the Seas used the port for her final outfitting and handover ceremony in April. There was also a maiden call and naming ceremony for Cruise & Maritime’s Vasco da Gama in June.

Other highlights include four Phoenix Reisen ships, all scheduled to call on August 4, and the naming of a fifth ship for the German brand, the Amera, scheduled for August 16.

A 80 million euro pier refurbishment project is scheduled to start at the end of 2020 that will expand the pier, said Huerdler.

Huerdler points out that the port has a short distance to the open sea, saving time and fuel on sailing distances. There are no nautical restrictions and the terminal can accept ships with a draft down to 9.8 meters.

“By 2024 we hope to have the new pier ready,” Huerdler said.