As Port of Riga informed, four cruise ships called the port on Wednesday, June 19. This number is the largest ever that the port has hosted and reflects the ports capacity and potential. According to Riga Central Terminal Board Member Valdis Andersons ‘Given that the city’s zoning has changed, a vision of the future has been created in which we can handle RoRo cargo here, engage in passenger transportation and welcome cruise ships.’
Specifically, the cruise ships that arrived at the port were Marina Majuro, Seven Seas Explorer, Clio and Aida Cara, and actually brought approximately 3,500 people to the capital.
The port highlights that for the first time in a long time the first cruise ship Marina Majuro has berthed at the Riga Central Terminal’s Export Port dock, which was previously used for handling dry goods. As a result of the relocation of dry goods cargo to Krievu Isle, the docks can be used for other purposes and cruise ships are one potential avenue for development for this section of the port.
In the past, the cruise vessels arriving at the port used to berth at the docks, but cruise ships stopped mooring here because of the intensive cargo handling.
Yet, now it is planned to renew of cruise ships at the Riga Central Terminal’s docks and changes will affect this part of the port in the near future.
In addition, Mr Andersons added that the arrival of the four cruise ships is the first step suggesting that Riga is quite an attractive destination.
In the cruise industry, Baltic cruises are becoming popular. In its Development Programme 2019-2028, the Freeport of Riga made a commitment to transform Riga into an important cruise and passenger ferry port for the Baltic region and to ensure that our city is included in the routes of all major cruise shipping lines.
