BTJ 3/2008 - Baltic Transport Journal

Maritime
Towards a Destination Gdynia project
To those, who are not yet convinced
Although competitors have succeeded in taking their share in recent
years, the Port of Gdynia still remains the indisputable leader
in Poland when it comes to serving cruise ships.
However, the Port of Gdynia
Authority SA is not pleased
with its rate of growth as a
cruise port destination and is
about to carve its ambitions
into efforts towards attracting
even more ships to call at this convenient
and friendly cruise port every season. This
year’s cruise season in Gdynia commenced on
May 1 and will last until September 25, with 91
expected ship calls.
Gdynia is not missing the most important
networking event and forum of the global
cruise industry – the Seatrade Cruise Shipping
Convention in Miami.
Przemysław Marchlewicz, president of the
board in the Port of Gdynia Authority SA, when
asked about the main message on the current
state of the cruise market in Miami, commented,
“First of all it is widely agreed that the sector will
prosper and develop fast if oceans are not about
to dry out… There is however a shift in areas
with the highest growth potential from the cradle
of modern cruising – the Caribbean – to the
Mediterranean and Northern Europe, including
– not least – the Baltic. The fleet heading for the
Baltic destinations grows, so do the ships themselves.
This was visible already last year, when
the world’s fourth largest ship moored at several
50 | Baltic Transport Journal | 3/2008
Baltic ports, not omitting Gdynia. “This year we
also have a gross tonnage of 100,000 plus vessels
among those to be warmly welcomed in the
Baltic and at our port as well”, Marchlewicz declares.
“Judging from what may be seen in shipyards
and on orderbooks for new cruise vessels,
one should share the shipowners’ view on the
market prospects and be optimistic.”
Marketing and investments
The Port of Gdynia Authority thinks of
starting a special project – Destination Gdynia
– involving efforts from various interested parties,
not only the port itself, and utilizing European
Union funds for business promotion of the
region. The main partner would be the city of
Port of Gdynia cruise vessels traffic
Year Ship calls Passengers
2008 91* 100 000*
2007 87 89 000*
2006 89 94 135
* expected or approximate figure
Gdynia. The Port of Gdynia Authority is also
active and is determined to further increase its
role in international cruise ports organizations,
such as Cruise Europe.
“We are convinced and we have to convey
this message to those, who are yet not convinced,”
says Marchlewicz, “that our best interest
is in making efforts towards gaining more on the
cruise market. There are examples of ports on the
Baltic to be followed – ports of seemingly lesser
tourism importance or attractiveness – that have
managed to achieve larger ship calls numbers
and are developing faster as cruise destinations.”
Marketing is not enough, however. Marchlewicz
comments, “If one seriously thinks of
staying on the cruise market, it will not do
without investment. When it comes to really
needed investments, we will start to seriously
think of and devise a plan for a dedicated terminal.
At least a small one, providing a roof for
embarkation and disembarkment procedures
and passengers traffic management, with some
additional services, such as tourist information,
etc. Even though we are a destination,
and not a gateway or turnaround port – we
still have to establish a kind of terminal within
a 10-year perspective.”
Prestige for the port, money for the
region
Cruising is not a huge business for port
authorities. Ports with similar traffic to Gdynia
may earn some EUR 500,000 in port fees in
one season alone. For the port, cruise vessels,
to some extent, bring more benefit in prestige,
image and visibility on the market than in hard
cash. However, the business environment, the
whole region and many businesses involved, really
benefit from cruising. Hence Marchlewicz
suggests that the business environment relying
on income from tourists could participate more
in the costs of promoting Gdynia as a destination
port and in any investment necessary to
maintain a steady inflow of ships and passengers
or to provide a stimulus for growth.
New opportunities may also arise from
establishing a local airport – the idea strongly
promoted by the city of Gdynia governors
with a possibility of materializing within a few
years. A modern cruising terminal at the port
quay plus the nearby airport can make Gdynia
a potential turnaround port for Poland and its
southern neighbouring countries.
Piotr B. Stareńczak