IRISH authorities are under fire from the global cruise community after a decision to significantly reduce passenger cruise ship activity at the Port of Dublin. The Dublin Port Company has announced a new system which will halve the number of cruise ship visits by 2021, as well as eliminating all...
IRISH authorities are under fire from the global cruise community after a decision to significantly reduce passenger cruise ship activity at the Port of Dublin.
The Dublin Port Company has announced a new system which will halve the number of cruise ship visits by 2021, as well as eliminating all turnaround calls at the port.
In 2019 there are more than 160 cruise ship calls booked for Dublin, while for 2020 there are already 140 bookings in place.
From 2021, however, the new policy will reduce this to a maximum of 80, allowing for just two large ships per week during the summer season and one weekly visit during the winter.
Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) said the move was “very worrying,” particularly since the Port of Dublin (pictured) had “always valued the cruise business and seen a major growth over the last 15 years.
“The port has also given valuable support to growing Ireland as a whole as a cruise destination,” with 262,000 passengers having called at Irish ports in 2017, according to a statement from CLIA Europe.
CLIA said it believed Dublin’s decision had been taken without consideration of the impact it will have on Ireland overall, with the number of cruise calls expected to dramatically drop across all Irishports as a result of the move.
“We urge the port to reconsider its decision and to work with the Irish Government and the cruise industry to build cruise tourism sustainably across Ireland moving forward,” CLIA concluded.
The port said it was introducing the changes due to a huge growth in cargo volumes, with the aim of better balancing the allocation of berths for year-round cargo ships.
