Associated British Ports’  Port of Southampton welcomed a record number of cruise vessels to the Port in May, kick-starting the summer cruise season for 2024 on a real high.

For May the Port welcomed 26 different cruise ships with a grand total of 71 calls, both turnaround and transit, and over 400,000 guests. Nearly one million cruise guests have passed through the Port so far in 2024.

The Port’s capacity to handle these industry leading volumes is founded on continuing investment in dedicated infrastructure, the deep, accumulated experience of functions across the port and strong relationships with partners, including cruise lines, ground handling operators, stevedores, and security teams.

Thea George, Senior Cruise Manager, said: “What a fantastic month May was, we’ve had a great start to the year with January to April seeing an increase in cruise calls as the months progress and our summer season has started in earnest with a record 71 calls to the Port in May. It is great to see so many passengers come to our city and travel out of the Port on some of the most luxurious cruise ships. The Cruise, Marine and Land Operations teams work tirelessly throughout the summer months to ensure our visitors safely board the vessels and so ships can depart on time. It is great for the City to see so many cruise ships coming in and out of the Port, and we hope the people of Southampton feel as proud as we are of the key role the City plays within the global cruise sector. Our Port and the City are intrinsically linked with so much maritime history; it is great to be part of making new history in the modern world of cruising.”

This year, ABP are seeing an increase in cruise ships utilising the shore power facility at the Port of Southampton compared to the previous year. In May, 20% of the cruise visits plugged into shore power, allowing them to switch off their engines and achieve zero emissions while in the Port.

Stuart Baker, Maritime UK Solent, said: “ABP Southampton and Solent Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), have jointly invested in the shore power infrastructure to support sustainable operations in the port. ABP Southampton actively encourages cruise vessels to switch off and plug in to achieve zero emissions whilst in the Port. This is a great initiative, and we are seeing the benefits of having this technology in the Port as shore power technology is implemented on board more cruise ships.”

More cruise ships arriving in the City of Southampton is great news for the local and regional economy. The sector supports thousands of jobs and businesses in the area, attracting new tourists to our historic maritime City and its hinterland. In 2023, the Port of Southampton welcomed 2.75 million passengers and the cruise sector generated over £1 billion for the local and regional economy and 2024 is well on its way to increasing these benefits to the local and regional economy.

ABP Southampton is also working in partnership with GO! Southampton by launching a new initiative called the Welcome Volunteer Programme. This initiative, driven by passionate volunteers with local knowledge, aims to enhance the experience of transit passengers by educating them about the city and its offerings. The Welcome Volunteers, stationed at the cruise terminals, are playing a key role in guiding passengers and helping them make the most of their visit to Southampton, thereby adding value to their overall visit to the city and cruise experience.

Stephen Manion, Managing Director at GO! Southampton said: “It is amazing to see so many cruise passengers arrive in the City and now we have a great initiative to make sure they are supported during their stay and can see the best of the City Centre.