Zayed Port’s new cruise terminal building design unveiled

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Written by Linda Hohnholz

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates – Abu Dhabi Ports Company (ADPC) and Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi) have unveiled the design of Zayed Port’s new cruise terminal building.

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates – Abu Dhabi Ports Company (ADPC) and Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi) have unveiled the design of Zayed Port’s new cruise terminal building.

Ground clearance work for the new terminal, which will be capable of handling three cruise vessels simultaneously, has already begun with a completion timetable anticipated at 2016, it was announced at the Seatrade Med 2014 in Barcelona, Spain.

Traditional Arabic ornaments, colours, and shapes combined with modern architectural elements define the new building’s distinctive style which celebrates the UAE’s cultural heritage and pays tribute to its long maritime history, a statement said.

The building’s roof design is a lattice-work, taking the UAE’s national tree – the Ghaf as inspiration while wooden beams inside the building take inspiration from the UAE’s traditional dhow sailing vessels.

Covering 8,000 sq m, the new building will include all key passenger facilities, as well as a mezzanine level with souvenir shops, restaurants, office facilities and waiting areas for cruise staff.

It will feature tourist information services and passport border control counters.

Earlier this year, the UAE announced a new multiple entry visa which will make tourist travel between the UAE and neighbouring countries significantly easier.

The new multi-entry visa had been on cruise lines ‘wish-list’ for some time as it will help the logistics when planning itineraries around the Gulf region.

Capt Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, CEO, ADPC, saiid: “ADPC and its partners TCA Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Oman established ‘Cruise Arabia’ at the end of 2013, as an initiative which promotes the Gulf region as an attractive tourist destination and brings the partners together to combine forces to make the cruising experience for tourists and cruise staff as comfortable as possible.

“Our investment in a larger higher quality cruise terminal building recognises the fact that Abu Dhabi now features on a growing number of itineraries. This makes us very proud and keen to ensure that this important industry is fully catered for and encouraged.”

“Abu Dhabi’s cruise tourism has enormous potential and the development of tourism in the emirate is one of the core pillars of the Abu Dhabi Economic Vision 2030, a plan to diversify the economy and reduce dependence on oil and gas revenue.” he added.

“It is a statement of just how serious Abu Dhabi is about cruise tourism,” said Sultan Al Dhaheri, acting executive director tourism, TCA Abu Dhabi. “For our part we are stepping up promotion of this particular industry sector with the imminent launch of a dedicated cruise tourism section on our visitabudhabi.ae online destination resource and the creation of highly differentiated shore excursions which lift the value of the Arabian Gulf cruise proposition with Abu Dhabi as both a home port and port-of-call.”

ADPC recently introduced a loyalty programme for cruise vessels calling at Zayed Port. The programme includes special home porting conditions and further incentives, making the stay for cruise liners at Zayed Port even more attractive.

Abu Dhabi’s cruise passenger arrivals have increased five-fold since the sector began in the emirate in 2007 with anticipated arrivals this season reaching 200,000 passengers from 95 vessel calls.

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Linda Hohnholz

Editor in chief for eTurboNews based in the eTN HQ.

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