AS yet another year comes to an end the question of whether or not the port gets the go-ahead from the Marine Management Organisation in the near future for the capital dredging project still hangs in the air. The harbour commissioners were expecting to make some kind of announcement this month regarding dredging. Once dredged Falmouth could handle 100,000 ton cruise ships. A&P Falmouth and the commissioners can take some solace from the fact that the port is not alone in not being able to welcome larger ships.

More than 60 per cent of the ports that make up Cruise Europe cannot take mega-cruise ships (100,000 tons plus) according to the organisation’s chairman Captain Mike McCarthy.

Cruise Europe, of which Falmouth is a member, has over 100 member ports within Northern and Atlantic Europe. The four regions – Norway, Iceland and the Faroes, The Baltic, UK and Ireland and Europe’s West Coast offer a diversity of experiences for passengers.

Speaking at the International Cruise Summit in Madrid, Capt McCarthy said: “From the Cruise Europe perspective, over 60 per cent of our members are ports that cannot take these mega ships. Rather than being a disadvantage it can offer an opportunity for delivery of a more personalised service from guides, buses, visitor attractions and reduced congestion at ports and venues.”

Helen Caron from Thompson Cruises and Capt McCarthy emphasised that the drive to megaships by some firms has opened an opportunity for smaller to medium operators looking at niche markets as the increased size issue has put increasing pressure on smaller ports and destinations across Europe.

The Isles of Scilly (St Mary’s) is one place making significant in-roads into this niche market; as it becomes the South West’s busiest cruise destination for two years in succession. The islands attract over 40 ships in total from the medium size cruise ships and many expedition ships on flora and fauna cruises.

Capt McCarthy said: “The Cruise Summit Madrid emphasised the critical importance of the cruise lines and ports/destinations collaborating in a unified manner to ensure a safe and enhanced guest experience.”

Many company representatives outlined how their firms are investing to reduce emissions and the need for closer collaboration between cruise lines, terminal operators, ports and cities and sustainability/customer perceptions.

Capt McCarthy said: “The positive attitude of all participants for the cruise industry was evident over the two days as our members look with greater confidence to the positive economic climate returning in Europe and despite the recent geo-political issues that can have such a negative impact on the general travel sector.”