med cruise assembly

64th MedCruise General Assembly: Uniting the Mediterranean cruise industry

Members of MedCruise and the cruise community will gather in Tarragona, Spain, from 11-14 June 2024

Unsplash/Jasmyn Jacobs

By Alex Smith | 29 May 2024

Members of MedCruise, the association of Mediterranean cruise ports, and the cruise community will gather in Tarragona, Spain, from 11-14 June 2024 for the 64 th MedCruise General Assembly , hosted by the Port of Tarragona.

The event programme will feature plenary sessions, conferences, presentations, one-to-one interviews and panel discussions, all of which will be aimed at identifying best practices to serve the cruise industry’s evolving needs and addressing relevant topics.

Business-to-business meetings will also provide cruise companies the opportunity to meet port representatives to discuss achievements, emerging issues and business relationships. Excursions will take attendees to some of Tarragona’s unique venues, while a site and port inspection programme will be tailor-made for visitors.

Register for the 64th MedCruise General Assembly via the MedCruise website

Tags: MedCruise     ports and destinations     Events

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Tarragona Cruise Port inaugurates sustainable new terminal at 64th MedCruise General Assembly. 5.5 million euros has been spent by Global Ports Holding on the new terminal

June 13, 2024

Tags: Global Ports Holding

That event took place at 7:30 pm and was attended by prominent authorities and personalities from the region’s tourism and business sectors. The MedCruise Assembly had been scheduled for 2022. However, the different organising bodies brought both events together this June 11 to share with the whole sector these two milestones in Tarragona’s cruise project.

Prior to the 64th edition of MedCruise a press conference was held at the H10 Imperial Tarraco hotel. The emphasis was on Tarragona and the sustainable cruise project jointly agreed with the territory and promoted by the Port of Tarragona since 2013. The event was attended by Figen Ayan, president of MedCruise; Saül Garreta, president of the Port of Tarragona; and Rubén Viñuales, mayor of Tarragona. They fired the starting pistol for the General Assembly and highlighted the importance of the cruise sector for the region’s economy, as well as giving the news and future prospects in the industry .

64th edition of MedCruise

The MedCruise Assembly was due to be held in 2022, but the different organising bodies decided to bring both events together this 11 June to share these two milestones in Tarragona’s cruise project with the whole sector. The initial press conference in the city was followed by the inauguration of the new terminal of Tarragona CruisePort. The MedCruise association brings together the different actors related to cruise activity, including shipping companies, port agents, tourism boards and other businesses linked to the sector. The 64th edition of the MedCruise assembly, co-organised with the Port of Tarragona, will be held from June 11 to 14. Participants include a total of 21 shipping companies, 13 invited journalists from 11 specialist media and 4 associate members, as well as 24 agents from 18 cruise companies. These figures, advanced by the highest representative of the association during the most important fair of the sector in Miami (USA), Seatrade Cruise Global, place this edition in record figures of participation compared to previous events.

Inauguration of the Cruise Terminal

Once the MedCruise press conference had ended, those present headed to the Balears Wharf in the Port of Tarragona where, at 7:30 pm, the ceremony to inaugurate the new terminal of Tarragona Cruise Port was held.

The opening ceremony was attended by Mehmet Kutman, Chairman and CEO of Global Ports Holding; Saül Garreta, president of the Port of Tarragona; Rubén Viñuales, mayor of Tarragona; Carles Brull, representative of the Tarragona Provincial; Figen Ayan, president of MedCruise; Angel Xifré, territorial delegate of the Government of Tarragona; Josep Pallarès, Rector of the Rovira i Virgili University; Laura Roigé, president of the Tarragona Chamber of Commerce; Fernando Aldecoa, director general of PortAventura World and Berta Cabré, president of the Tarragona Hospitality and Tourism Business Federation (FEHT).

Official opening ceremony of the new terminal

Shortly after seven in the evening, the first people invited to the event began to arrive at the Balears Wharf, while the evening was brightened up with the presence of the “Giants” and “Nanos” from the El Serrallo fishing quarter, who added a festive touch of folklore to the event.

Then, at 7:40 pm, the doors of the new cruise terminal, the star event, were opened, marking the official start of the ceremony. Alba Colet, director of Tarragona Cruise Port, welcomed the attendees with a short speech at the terminal gates.

Afterwards, Javier Rodríguez, Regional Director of the Western Mediterranean and Asia for Global Ports Holding, delivered his opening speech, followed by Mr. Mehmet Kutman, Chairman and CEO of Global Ports Holding.

Mr. Mehmet Kutman, Chairman and CEO of Global Ports Holding, emphasized, “I am very proud as we inaugurate the new sustainable cruise terminal, symbolizing the start of a new journey for Tarragona Cruise Port under the management of Global Ports Holding. Together, we are not just opening a port; we are opening doors to new possibilities and a brighter future for everyone connected to this beautiful city.

As the world’s largest cruise port operator, we are committed to contributing to the cruise industry’s ambitious goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Environmentally friendly technologies and practices, from the use of renewable energy to the efficient management of natural resources, have been thoughtfully integrated into both the terminal’s construction and its future operations.

I extend our heartfelt gratitude to the Tarragona Port Authority and all local stakeholders for their invaluable support and collaboration, which have been instrumental in making today’s milestone a reality. We look forward to a fruitful collaboration and to making a significant and positive impact on cruise tourism in Tarragona.”

Figen Ayan, President of MedCruise, continued with the speeches and the projection of a video about the Costa Daurada. Next, Carles Brull, representative of the Tarragona Provincial, addressed a few words to the attendees.

Rubén Viñuales, Mayor of Tarragona, then took the floor, ‘In all respects, the Tarragona brand acquires a new dimension with this terminal and it is our commitment that, with the arrival of cruise ships, we will take our brand to the highest levels of prestige and recognition, while maintaining our commitment to sustainable tourism. In this sense, going hand in hand with allies such as Global Ports Holding and especially the Port of Tarragona, unequivocally committed to the environment, represents a guarantee of doing things right’ . And to end the round of speeches it was the turn of Saül Garreta, president of the Port of Tarragona. He highlighted the sustainable tourism and territorial model defended by the Institutional Cruise Committee that it is reflected in the terminal’s sustainable building and the port’s investments in the electrification of the Balears Wharf.

During the ceremony, the different authorities highlighted the importance of this new infrastructure for the development of the region’s tourism and the improvement it will mean for the cruise passengers who visit us. The new terminal has modern facilities and first-class services ready to welcome state-of-the-art cruise ships and offer a unique experience to visitors.

The inauguration of the new cruise terminal marks a before and after for the Port of Tarragona and reiterates its commitment to the sustainable growth and tourism promotion of the Costa Daurada.

The ceremony culminated with the ribbon cutting and the official photograph. Afterwards, the guests enjoyed a formal dinner, sharing impressions and celebrating the official entry into operation of the terminal and the start of the MedCruise Assembly.

The Balears Wharf and the new terminal

The new terminal of Tarragona Cruise Port is located on the Balears Wharf. This wharfwas built by the Tarragona Port Authority (TPA) in 18 months between 2020 and 2021 at a cost of 30 million euros. This investment allowed the improvement of the port infrastructure and the expansion of the surface area available for the operation of cruises with a berthing line of 759 metres and an esplanade of 40,000 m2.

The construction of the new cruise terminal on the Balears Wharf means having a new convenient and functional facility to provide a better service to cruise passengers. “Having this new infrastructure makes it possible to offer a much more convenient and agile operation”, stated Saül Garreta, president of the Tarragona Port Authority. “This is a very important step forward,” he affirmed, “which, along with the electrification of the dock, will allow this activity to be decarbonised in the port and achieve a more sustainable cruise activity on the Costa Daurada”.

The qualitative improvement is reflected in the terminal’s ample spaces devoted to welcoming passengers with all kinds of services from its launch in June 2024.

The new terminal of Tarragona Cruise Portspeeds up the embarkation and disembarkation operations of cruise passengers on the Balears Wharf. The interior design is open and spacious. This allows the interior spaces to be modulated depending on the needs that arise and thus to be able to better manage the flow of passengers. The building has checkpoints and customs, a waiting area with benches and bathrooms, a tourist information point, a cafe and a gift shop.

In addition, the Tarragona Port Authority (TPA) has set a date of 2026 for the entry into service of the OPS (Onshore Power Supply) on the Balears Wharf. It will be the first to have a system that allows ships docked at the port to connect to the electricity grid. The TPA will shortly invite tenders for the project worth 10.25 million euros and will be one of the first Spanish ports to offer this service to cruise liners.

Design and functionality

The new terminal of Tarragona Cruise Port is the result of an innovative and sustainable project operated by Global Ports Holding, which began construction in June 2023. With a built area of 2,200 m² and an investment of 5.5 million euros, this terminal represents a significant advancement for the region, laying the foundations for a notable transformation. The terminal was constructed using an offsite industrialised modular approach devised by the architectural studio Hombre de Piedra Arquitectos. Most of the construction work was carried out in a factory in Almeria, 700 kilometres away, where the building was manufactured almost entirely with concrete modules. These modules were subsequently transported to Tarragona and assembled on-site at the Port of Tarragona Balears Wharf.

Strategically located at the Moll de Balears of Port Tarragona, the new terminal has been meticulously designed with a focus on functionality, energy eco-efficiency with the installation of solar panels, and passenger comfort. From the use of renewable energy to the efficient management of natural resources, environmentally friendly technologies and practices have been integrated into both its construction and future operations.

Its avant-garde and ergonomic design guarantees a unique experience, offering high-quality services and amenities to meet the needs of the most demanding cruise passengers. Safety and accessibility have also been paramount in the terminal design. Advanced safety measures have been implemented and accessible spaces have been created to ensure that all passengers, including those with reduced mobility, can enjoy a comfortable and safe experience.

The terminal design anticipates the future evolution of the cruise industry, providing flexible, economical and simple solutions to meet the need to expand the building if market demand requires it. The interior space is also versatile, allowing it to host cultural and social events, especially in the low tourist season.

60% reduction in CO2 emissions

The Tarragona Cruise Port stands out for its commitment to sustainability and eco-efficiency. In its construction and future expansion operations, technologies and practices respectful of the environment have been integrated, from the use of renewable energies to the efficient management of natural resources. This will significantly reduce its environmental impact and contribute to the development of responsible tourism.

The industrialised offsite construction has achieved an impressive 50% reduction in waste generation and a 60% decrease in CO2 emissions during the construction phase, with an expectation of a 30% reduction during future operations in the terminal. In addition, there is a significant decrease in water consumption during the manufacturing and maintenance stages, along with a 40% reduction in energy use for air conditioning, demonstrating a genuine commitment to environmental sustainability.

Finally, the new facilities will have solar panels allowing them to be self-sufficient and sustainable in terms of energy.

Sustainable cruise tourism

The management of the cruise activity in Tarragona has singularities that make it much more sustainable than other places. First of all, the governance model is territorial through the Institutional Cruise Committee, in which the main local government administrations and businesses on the Costa Daurada tourism sector are represented. They work together to define the dimensions and approaches to sustainable cruise tourism. The Catalan Regional Government, the Tarragona Provincial Government, Rovira i Virgili University, the Tarragona Chamber of Commerce and the town councils of Tarragona, Reus and Vila-seca are represented on the committee. Other participants include PortAventura World, the region’s hotel associations and Eurecat.

Secondly, the scale of the project in Tarragona is nothing like that of the large cruise ports. The major Mediterranean cruise ports handle between 3 and 4 million passengers a year, compared to the 115,000 in Tarragona last year. This figure is expected to grow in a sustainable and consensual manner to avoid phenomena such as massification or gentrification.

In fact, Tarragona is a model with little congestion because, unlike the large Mediterranean ports, it promotes a capillary model in which the cruise passengers who visit it are not concentrated in the port city, but are distributed around different points tourist interest on the Costa Daurada, inland in the Camp de Tarragona and in the Terres de l’Ebre.

The evolution of cruises in Tarragona

The Port of Tarragona is the gateway to the Costa Daurada, a region with a great historical legacy, which has its roots in Roman Tarraco, a World Heritage Site since the year 2000, the medieval splendours such as the monasteries of Poblet and Santes Creus, the Modernist architecture of Gaudí, Domènech i Muntaner and Jujol from the beginning of the 20th century and the present-day landscapes of the Ebro Delta, a biosphere reserve.

Such a region does not go unnoticed and, in fact, has always attracted visitors from all over the world. But, more than 10 years ago, the challenge was to make it known as a cruise tourism destination. This challenge began to take shape in 2013 with the help of the Port of Tarragona. That year, the project crossed the port domains to evolve towards a common strategy for the whole territory. The Institutional Cruise Committee was set up, led by the Port of Tarragona and made up of all the agents involved in attracting and consolidating the cruise sector on the Tarragona coast.

As a result of this territorial alliance, the Port of Tarragona has managed to make the cruise project increasingly attractive to visitors, with passenger numbers that have been growing year after year since its launch. Only the global Covid 19 pandemic slowed down this sustained and sustainable growth in 2020. Since then the activity of the cruise sector has experienced a sustained recovery, demonstrated after the close of the 2023 financial year.

During the past season, 57 calls were made, compared to 36 in 2022, with a figure of 115,022 cruise passengers, which represents an increase of 80.1% compared to the passengers of the previous year (2021). These data surpass those of 2018 and come close to the figures of 2019, which with 128,000 passengers set the record for Tarragona. Forecasts for this 2024 season are for sixty calls and around 122,000 passengers, a figure very close to that of 2019 which closed with more than 128,000 passengers.

A destination that exceeds expectations

In 2023, the economic impact of cruise activity was more than 15,000,000 euros of passenger spending on leisure, transportation and dining, mainly according to CLIA standards and the Eurecat survey commissioned by the Institutional Cruise Committee.

In 2023, cruise passengers rated their satisfaction after visiting Tarragona at 8.9 out of 10. 54% stated that Tarragona had exceeded their expectations, a higher figure compared to 41.5% of 2022. The passengers with a stopover in Tarragona were Spanish (31%), Italian (26%), French (9%), American (8%), German (5%), English (4%) and other nationalities (17%).

81% of cruise customers choose to visit the territory under their own steam, 7% take organised tours of the Costa Daurada, 4% take guided tours of the city of Tarragona and another 4% decide to visit Barcelona, just 100 km away. Among the most requested excursions are tours of the city of Tarragona (51%), PortAventura (20%), Poblet Monastery and its surroundings (20%), while the rest is divided into visits to beaches, wineries and the city of Reus.

(Tarragona Cruise Port inaugurates sustainable new terminal at 64th MedCruise General Assembly. 5.5 million euros has been spent by Global Ports Holding on the new terminal – Global Ports Holding )

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63rd MedCruise General Assembly, Burgas

Main information:, * registration is closed, if you need anything regarding registration please contact the medcruise secretariat..

Transfers to and from Burgas and Varna airports have been organised for all registered attendees.If you are arriving at the airports, a designated person holding the 63rd GA sign will welcome you in the arrivals hall/area. If you have any issue at your arrival point please contact the following:

For guests flying from/to Burgas Airport:

  biliana karadzhova   renaissance tours ltd.   +359 887 927 638,   [email protected],    vladimir karadzov,    renaissance tours ltd.    +359 888 624 422, for guests flying from/to varna airport:, aleksandar avramov, passenger terminal varna port,, +359 884545438, +359 897983021, atanas markov, driver,  +359 897493718, n ikolay vassilev, gebr.heineman bulgaria, +359 887290986, tatiana gancheva, transport company perota, +359 888331214, who is attending.

In total 110 attendees are registered, including MedCruise Members, Guests, Local dignitaries, etc

12 Cruise and 6 Media Companies are attending:

After the successful General Assembly in Corfu , MedCruise members and the Cruise community will gather in Burgas, Bulgaria, from 10th-13th October, 2023. The 63rd General Assembly will be hosted by the Port of Burgas .

MedCruise, with its inclusive membership, continues to be a vibrant organisation, advancing cruise activities in the region. The General Assembly provides a unique opportunity to come together to shape the future of our sector, in yet another beautiful cruise port of the Mediterranean and its adjoining seas.  

  According to our established MedCruise tradition, the programme of the General Assembly includes:  

– Plenary sessions , presentations and one-to-one interviews , involving ports and cruise companies that look for best practices to serve the industry.  

– Business-to-business (B2B) meetings that provide cruise companies with a unique opportunity to meet port representatives, celebrate achievements, discuss emerging and challenging issues and strengthen business relationships.  

– The discovery of Burgas’s unique venues with specially tailored events and menus  

– A Burgas site and port inspection programme tailored-made just for you.  

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SEA THE WAY: THE BEST

Mediterranean cruises.

Treat your taste buds in Italy, stroll around ancient towns in Greece and soak up the sun along Croatia's stunning coastline with a cruise to the Mediterranean.

Set sail on a dream vacation to the best places to visit when you cruise the Mediterranean. This region offers some of Europe's most classic cultural landmarks — alongside some of its best weather to boot. Stroll along the ancient cobblestones of Florence in Italy or Dubrovnik in Croatia. Tour some of the architectural masterpieces, like the Palace of Knossos on Crete, the Roman amphitheater in Pula, and Rome's St. Peter's Basilica. Take in the stunning, volcanic island of Santorini with its blue and whitewashed towns or sip a glass of wine on Italy's Amalfi Coast with its pastel-colored houses built into steep-sloping cliffs. Discover the magic with a Mediterranean cruise..

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MEMORABLE MEDITERRANEAN CRUISES

The best Mediterranean cruises offer you the opportunity to explore the charming, ancient harbors of Italy, Greece and Croatia. Visit some ancient monuments like temples and amphitheaters, or medieval palaces and cathedrals. Head to the sun-drenched golden beaches and take a refreshing dip in the clear blue sea.

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Stroll around Italy's enchanting small alleys, gracious palaces and photogenic squares. See Rome's impressive Colosseum and the rest of Italy's breathtaking capital. Marvel at the colorful buildings in Venice during a gondola ride through the canals and visit Florence's extraordinary Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore. Next, enjoy the best of Italy's cuisine, and wash it down with some tasty wine from a nearby vineyard, or follow it up with a delicious gelati (ice cream).

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Best Mediterranean Cruises

A cruise to the Mediterranean is filled with exciting destinations, each with its own style and vibe. Discover the Mediterranean onboard the Best Royal Caribbean Cruise Ships.

GREECE & GREEK ISLES

EXPLORE MORE

ITALY & THE AMALFI COAST

SPAIN, PORTUGAL & THE CANARY ISLANDS

CROATIA & THE DALMATIAN COAST

The best time to visit the region is Spring (May–June) or Autumn (September–October), when the weather is mild — the heat peaks in July and August.

If you're planning to visit one of the well-known museums or other attractions that require a ticket, buy your ticket online in advance to save time.

Greece , Italy , Spain, France, Portugal , and Montenegro all use the euro; the other countries use different currencies.

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Find your favorite Mediterranean cruise port and, explore a wide array of diverse islands and European cities, such as the ancient art of Rome the stunning architecture of Spain or the mysterious city of Aptera in Crete. The best way to get to know these towns is with your tastebuds: Experience classic Neapolitan pizza in Naples, tour your way through the salty, shareable tapas of Spain or sample the herb-, olive oil- and vegetable-heavy fare of Southern France.

Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy

Venice, Italy

Argostoli, Greece

Dubrovnik, Croatia

Mykonos, Greece

Santorini, Greece

Bologna (Ravenna), Italy

Zadar, Croatia

Ajaccio, Corsica

Amalfi Coast (Salerno), Italy

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Chania (Souda), Crete

Gibraltar, United Kingdom

Athens (Piraeus), Greece

Kotor, Montenegro

Nice, France

Rhodes, Greece

Sicily (Messina), Italy

Sicily (Catania), Italy

Genoa, Italy

Sicily (Palermo), Italy

Haifa, Israel

Jerusalem (Ashdod), Israel

Ravenna (Venice), Italy

Florence / Pisa (La Spezia), Italy

Florence / Pisa (Livorno), Italy

Naples / Capri, Italy

Split, Croatia

Corfu, Greece

Limassol, Cyprus

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Portofino, Italy

Koper, Slovenia

Florence / Pisa (Carrara), Italy

Chios, Greece

WHAT TO KNOW BEFORE YOU GO Mediterranean Cruises Insider

Discover the charm of the Mediterranean on a bucket list busting Euro vacation this summer. Catch spellbinding views of multicolored seaside towns sparkling against turquoise waters along the Amalfi Coast. Wander through bougainvillea-draped pathways and sun kissed shores in Mykonos. And savor mouthwatering authentic Neapolitan pizza in a cozy trattoria in Naples and flavorful mezes in hillside tavernas in Greece. No matter what’s on the itinerary, it’ll be your most legendary summer ever.

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The Alternative to Huge Cruises? 3 Masts, 28 Sails and Wind Power.

We checked out the 136-passenger Sea Cloud Spirit on a Mediterranean cruise. In this era of gargantuan ships, its elegant clipper design, wooden decks and relatively small size stands out.

By Ceylan Yeğinsu

From the bridge of the three-masted windjammer, the Sea Cloud Spirit , the captain called out the words we’d all been waiting for.

“Let’s set the sails!” he cried, after turning off the engines, while maneuvering to maintain an optimum angle for his 18 deckhands to climb into the shrouds and unfurl the ship’s 44,132 square feet of sails by hand.

Like acrobats, the crew scurried up the masts to the upper topgallant sails that rose nearly 200 feet above us. The ship’s captain, Vukota Stojanovic, later insisted that none of it was for show. “Whenever there is an opportunity to sail, we sail,” he said.

For the next hour, the crew hauled the ropes until the 28 sails were billowing in the wind, propelling the 452-foot-long ship — the world’s largest passenger sailing vessel on which the sails are raised by hand — toward its first port of call, Portofino, Italy.

At a time when cruise lines are packing their ever-more-gargantuan ships with water parks and basketball courts, the 136-passenger Sea Cloud Spirit, with its old-fashioned clipper design and wooden decks, stands out. It is the newest ship from the Hamburg-based Sea Cloud Cruises , and while it is the company’s biggest, Sea Cloud said it wanted to leave space for passengers to connect to the surrounding elements.

“Wherever you are on the ship, it feels like you are sitting on the water,” said Amelia Dominick, 71, a retired real estate agent from Cologne, Germany, who was on her third cruise onboard the Sea Cloud Spirit.

I had arrived for a four-night “taster sailing” from Nice, France, to the Ligurian region of Italy, designed to entice passengers to sign up for a longer cruise. Here’s what I found.

The ship and cabins

The Spirit has many comforts and luxuries, including a fitness center, library, hair salon and a spa with a Finnish sauna that overlooks the sea. The deck layouts are spacious, with nooks carved out for privacy and relaxation.

Sixty-nine spacious cabins have windows that open onto the sea. My room, a junior suite on the third deck, had two large arched windows, mahogany tables, a balcony and a comfortable couch and armchair. The marble bathroom was lavish, with a gold-plated sink and large jetted bathtub.

The elegant interior design is inspired by the original Sea Cloud, built in 1931 for Marjorie Merriweather Post, the American heiress of the General Foods Corporation, with glossy wooden panels and gold trimmings. The Sea Cloud was the largest private sailing yacht in the world before Post handed it over to the U.S. Navy for use as a weather-reporting vessel during World War II. The four-mast, 64-passenger ship has since been restored to its former glory and will sail across the Aegean and Adriatic this summer.

The experience felt authentic — even before the sails were set — with a detailed safety drill. On most cruises, the drill entails a safety video and signing in at an assembly point. But here, passengers put on their life jackets and walked through emergency scenarios that included rationing food supplies and fishing from the lifeboat.

Each day, the sails were set, even during heavy rain and wind speeds over 30 knots. Guests wanting to participate in the rigging are usually invited to do so, but the weather conditions made it too risky for this sailing.

“It was amazing to watch the work go into putting the sails up and down and to experience the wind power pulling the ship so fast without the engines,” said Malte Rahnenfuehrer, a 50-year-old psychologist from Zurich, who was traveling with his partner and two children.

The captain

It is rare for cruise passengers to see the ship’s captain after the initial welcome drinks or gala dinner. But Capt. Vukota Stojanovic was omnipresent throughout the cruise, from setting sails to lifeguarding to mingling with guests.

Originally from Montenegro, Captain Stojanovic piloted container ships for years. When he was asked to consider helming the original Sea Cloud nearly 10 years ago, he hesitated because he had no experience sailing. Even after he learned the ropes — and there are 340 ropes (known as running rigging) on the vessel — he was unsure. “I grew to love the sailings, the boats, the crew the lifestyle, but I still felt I belonged on container ships,” he said. “It would be a big adjustment, especially because I would have to shave every day,” he joked.

Eventually, he accepted the opportunity and worked tirelessly to learn how to sail and operate the ship. Today, he keeps an “open bridge” policy, allowing passengers to visit the control room, even when he is wrestling with the wind.

“The crew and the passengers are all part of the experience, and I like to meet people and receive their feedback,” Captain Stojanovic said.

Environment

Sea Cloud Cruises aspires to take a “gentle” approach, using wind power to drive its ships wherever possible, even if that means changing course for optimal weather conditions. When sailing is not possible, the Spirit has two diesel-electric engines that run on low-sulfur marine diesel fuel. The company is also working with ports that have shore power capabilities to plug into the local electric power.

Onboard, there is an emphasis on reusable bottles and paper straws, and crew members separate solid waste to be compacted and removed when in port.

Excursions and Activities

We made stops in Portofino, San Remo, Italy, and St.-Tropez, France, anchoring offshore and getting to land by tender — a contrast to the big cruise ships with their loud horns and thick plumes of exhaust spewing from their funnels.

For passengers wanting to take a dip (there is no pool), the crew marked an area in the water with floats and an inflatable slide. The water was frigid, but many passengers took the plunge from the swimming deck. Guests could also take “Zodiac Safaris” around the ship to get views of the vessel from the water.

Excursions ranged from food and wine tours to e-biking and beach trips. In Portofino, passengers were free to explore the sights independently, including the Castello Brown Fortress and the lighthouse on Punta del Capo rock. There was ample time to eat meals on shore as the ship did not depart until 11 p.m. Over the summer, the Sea Cloud Spirit will sail to Spain, Portugal, France and the Azores, among other destinations. On Nov. 11, she will depart for St. Maarten in the Caribbean for the winter.

Wherever the vessel goes, said Mirell Reyes, president of Sea Cloud Cruise for North America, the company tries to “stay away from the crowds and ports where big cruise ships spit out 6,000 passengers.”

Summer prices, which include food and beverages, range from $3,995 for a four-night sailing in a superior cabin to $9,420 for a veranda suite. Seven-night sailings cost between $6,995 and $16,495.

Follow New York Times Travel on Instagram and sign up for our weekly Travel Dispatch newsletter to get expert tips on traveling smarter and inspiration for your next vacation. Dreaming up a future getaway or just armchair traveling? Check out our 52 Places to Go in 2024 .

Ceylan Yeginsu is a travel reporter for The Times who frequently writes about the cruise industry and Europe, where she is based. More about Ceylan Yeğinsu

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'We tried an MSC fly-cruise from Manchester Airport to the Med - it was amazing'

It's easy to take for granted just how lucky we are to have an international airport just a few miles from our city centre.

Yes, we've all had a grumble about queues, parking and the rest of it - but it really does bring the world to Wythenshawe . But, because our airport makes so many destinations so easy to get to, it can mean experiences that are a little bit more difficult to get to can end up being overlooked.

After all, why bother driving to Southampton for a cruise when you can nip down Princess Parkway and be in Lanzarote by lunchtime?

The good news is there is a way where you can go cruising without having to trek down south. MSC's fly and cruise option offers accessible cruising from Manchester and is absolutely perfect for families looking for something a bit different from the typical short-haul holidays we love.

Over the May half-term I tried it - and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it. Staff can't do enough for you, there's a huge range of things to do and see, the choice of food is wide - and that's before you've even stepped off the ship.

I loved the fact that even though the sailing doesn't start until you get to Italy, the journey starts here in Greater Manchester with a Jet2 flight. To me, the flight I took might as well as had 'The Med' on the front, in the way that buses, in the 1950s, used to have New York, and Zurich on their faces, as they ferried passengers from the long-lost city centre airport check-in to the gate for their flight at Ringway.

We took MSC's Divina fly-cruise route, which leaves Rome's Civitavecchia port about 5pm, allows you to get accommodated to how things work and rest with a sea day, before arriving at Mykonos the day after.

The next day we hit Izmir in Turkey, then Santorini, with another day at sea, before moving onto Naples and heading back to Civitavecchia. With those destinations, you've got a brilliant mix of beach holiday, shopping holiday, sightseeing, city break and Mediterranean cuisine - all in one.

The essentials

It only takes three hours from Manchester to Rome's airport, and from there we got the MSC shuttle from the bus station to the port at Civitavecchia.

First tip - it's well worth getting the transfer as it takes you exactly where you need to go in Civitavecchia and taxis aren't cheap for what is a 40-mile journey.

This will be obvious to seasoned cruisers, or seasoned travellers full stop but make sure you have all your passes in order, as staff at the terminal are rightly sticklers for paperwork, and may not let you on the shuttle bus if you don't have exactly the right document for the transfer. We all know how stressful travelling can be. It doesn't matter how many times you've flown, there will be something you forget - like that 200ml bottle of Factor 30 at the bottom of your hand luggage. And having two parts to your journey adds a bit of extra admin, so it goes without saying that it's useful, as well as having virtual copies on your phone, to print everything off and familiarise yourself with exactly what you need to produce at what point.

Once on the bus, which left from Terminal 3, it's a pleasant drive through miles of sun-baked fields, dotted with trees, swaying with corn, and pixelated with flowers of red, yellow, pink and purple.

The terminal from which the MSC Divina departs from Civitavecchia is spotlessly clean and spacious with friendly service. If you've got everything in carry-on luggage there's no need to leave it and wait for staff to bring it up to you, just carry it to your room yourself if you're able and crack on with your holiday. If not, as experienced cruisers will be aware, mark it with the labels pre-provided and it will be brought up to you while you collect your cruise card, before watching the mandatory safety video and finding your assembly point.

Once you've found this, crucial to know in the event of emergency, your cards will be activated and then you're away.

Our day had started at 3am and by now we were ravenous, so headed to the buffet - which is open for breakfast, lunch, afternoon snacks, dinner and late night snacks.

Afternoon snacks are of the sarnies, pizza, chips, burgers variety - with salad options too. For dinner and lunch, there's a tasty range of fare from the Mediterranean and beyond, including a daily carvery. Breakfast is a dizzying array of pancakes, muffins, fruit, sausages, eggs, cheese, cold meats and cereals, hash browns, wedges and cakes. And if you're feeling peckish at 10pm, you can pop in for fresh pizza.

If you're able bodied and worried about your calorific intake, there's obviously loads of stairs and corridors to work them off on a cruise ship - I decided on day one that the one thing I was going to avoid was the lift - but there's also a well-equipped gym.

If you like people, you're in luck here because you see lots of them in the buffet. The ship is popular with lots of nationalities - and all apparently starving. That means you might not hear too many old-fashioned English excuse mes - maybe odd 'prego' or 'scusa' or 's'il vous plait' - or just as likely nothing at all as folk dash in and out of the line piling up their plates.

It's all good fun. But if you fancy your dining at a more chilled pace, the specialty restaurants are great.

Either way, it's worth getting the premium extra, as that means any time you want a mocktail, cocktail, coffee, wine, Paulaner, Heineken, Fanta, Coke, Sprite, San Pellegrino or Acqua Panna, you can have it.

After our late lunch we headed back to the cabin, and it wasn't long before we heard that special whirr that meant we were pulling away from the dock. It was a gloriously hot day in Rome and it felt so exhilarating to watch the sea sparkle, seagulls, soaring above, as we set sail.

Our package was the Fantastica, which includes a balcony room, perfect for those close views of Mediterranean landscapes and glorious pink sunsets and sunrises. It was on the 13th floor, so close to the action on the upper decks - and positioned so we didn't feel the motion. Being honest, wherever you are on the ship, you don't really feel the motion - at least not in an intrusive way, as the ship cruises along gently. I did take sea sickness pills but there was absolutely no lurching about at any point, although the ship does seem to move a bit faster in the dead of night.

For practicality, we had streaming and internet access via the ship's satellite for two devices with our package. You can't change between devices, but if you're internet mad, want to research destinations, or need to be in contact with home it's definitely worth having. If you're in a bigger group you can set up an internal messaging system with your party, helpful because WhatsApp isn't guaranteed to work in the middle of the Med.

The MSC app - along with the maps and all the staff - is your best friend on this trip. It's intuitively designed and loaded with everything you can do on board. If you've got kids, there's an action packed kids club, and for those aged 12 and up, there's a sparkling new teen area with video games and table football and less supervision. These are included. But let's be honest, you may well have been hoping to get them away from tech this week and into the activities, so just as well there's loads of those too.

One day two alone there were 43 activities, starting at 9am and running until midnight. Board games, regular live music, a table football tournament, kids talent contest, dance lessons, a penalty shootout, a family quiz show, exercise glasses, and shopping promotions on perfume and jewellery, a lottery with a 230,000 euro jackpot and a disco.

There were also discounts on spa treatments and 4D rides, plus the bowling alley, power walking track, bars, casino, restaurants, shuffleboard, power walking track and regular performances in the grand atrium to try out.

The destinations

Of course, you go on a cruise to see the world, and our first stop was Mykonos. Reaching the Greek island via a shuttle boat from the ship, we spent a glorious afternoon wandering the old town, a whitewashed warren of souvenir shops and designer boutiques, buzzing with beautiful people. Climb the winding lanes for views over the harbour, and stop at Captain's, on the waterfront, where the seafood platter is incredible.

The great thing about all the places the MSC Divina docked at is that they are incredibly walkable - so if you don't fancy forking out for an excursion you can explore yourself. If you do fancy a guided tour on this stop - you can book via MSC to see the ancient wonder of the island of Delos, the mythological birthplace of Apollo, or stay on Mykonos and visit its iconic windmills.

Izmir is much bigger than Mykonos Town - it's Turkey's third biggest city - but is also a really easy place to spend a day without getting lost. The excursions you can pre-book include Ephesus - keeping with the classical history theme - the Church of Mary, which dates back to the 5th century, and good old fashioned shopping. Or you can do as we did, which was to pick up a map at the port after arriving, and follow the blue route along the seafront for a stroll through the sights.

Izmir is a sparkling, cheerful city, where mountains and sea meet the modern. The blue route takes you past landscaped gardens, a playground, monuments, and, turning left from the central square, into the Kemeralti bazaar. This is a great shopping experience and there are lovely little cafes along the way.

The iskender doner, tahini cake and traditional Turkish tea, cay (pronounced like chai), I had - along with salgam, a traditional fermented drink - at the famous Can Doner 1981, was very good. But the shish at Kofteci Kardesler, closer to the bazaar, is next level succulence, and the salad is exquisite.

There's nothing like waking up in another country the day after - and next on our itinerary was the Greek island of Santorini, with its magnificent, volcanic landscape. Take the cable car to Fira and explore the winding lanes of the island's chic capital, taking in the dramatic, panoramic views in stunning sunshine, and spot the houses carved into sheer rock.

Life on board

On our eight day, seven night trip we had two sea days, but with so much to do there was absolutely no chance of getting bored. Sunbathing on the deck with a cocktail, nipping in and out of the pools, all the cares of the world melt away. And as if that wasn't enough relaxation, you've got the spa, with huge spa baths overlooking the ocean, a range of saunas and steam rooms, and brilliant masseuses. There's a great salon too - doing Afro as well as European hair - at cheaper prices than in the UK.

The boat itself has a glamorous décor of red, silver, black and sparkly floors, and at evening comes alive with music, as cover bands, singers, guitarists and pianists put on a show in the many cafes, bars, lounges, and performance spaces across the decks.

The Pantheon theatre is the main performance space - and the concerts were really enjoyable. Nothing edgy, nothing pretentious, perhaps a bit cheesy - in short, everything you want on a cruise ship. Andrea Bocelli tribute act in sequins, seconds after a Wham cover? Sublime.

Even though MSC is at the more affordable end of cruising. All the staff go out of their way to make you feel special, from Carlos, our steward, to Japeth and George who looked after us each night when we dined in the Villa Rossa restaurant.

While the buffet has a great choice from morning to night with a range that will satisfy even the fussiest of eaters - you can sometimes find yourself touring to find a table. The complimentary restaurants offer smaller menus and a more formal dining experience, but again with sea views.

The short rib was a particular highlight, as was Mediterranean night with its calamari. As for the drinks, I'm still thinking about that Rose. But beyond the complimentary restaurants are additional offerings that carry a charge, like the Galaxy, where we enjoyed some excellent sushi, one night, as the sun went down. Don't leave without trying the Japanese plum wine.

The not to miss event on the Divina is the White Party - which, for the uninitiated, sees everyone dress up in white and head to the deck for a party, led by salsa and reggaetón instructors. This was the big night of the cruise - with seemingly everyone on the boat kitted out - so come prepared. It was great fun, and took place on our penultimate night, before we stopped in Naples, the ship turning west again.

Sightseeing

Soon after arriving in the beautiful, southern Italian city of Napoli, we were on the road to Pompeii, the sea on one side, Mount Vesuvius, wreathed in mist, on the other. It was a trip of no more than half an hour from the port - but it took us 1945 years back in time with a fascinating tour around the ruins of the city destroyed by the volcanic eruption of 79AD.

If you fancy a trip further afield, there are MSC excursions to Capri, but after exploring the excavated city, its streets reclaimed by glorious wildflowers and birds, with the sun beating down, we fancied a wander around Naples - and there's loads of incredible architecture to take in within walking distance of the port.

The magnificent shopping arcade, Galleria Umberto, is just one of the imposing buildings perfect for pictures, and we stopped at Ke Kafe here for gelato.

Within just a few yards of the port you can pick up a slice of Neapolitan pizza, avoid getting knocked over by an immaculately dressed moped rider, and visit Castel Nuovo, Napoli's majestic, medieval castle.

So much to do

"I can't leave this place," my eldest son said, as the end of our trip dawned, back on the ship. We spent our last night taking in the musical show at Pantheon theatre, ramped up a gear with acrobats performing incredible tricks. "Just when you think it's over," the youngest son opined.

After that we headed to the virtual zone, which adjoins an arcade packed with games. I tried the F1 simulator - frighteningly immersive and much harder than it looks - and we all tried out the 4D cinema experience, Dino Safari - frighteningly immersive and requiring no skill whatsoever. The sheer breadth of entertainment means families, singles and couples of all ages have no excuse for being bored .

The next morning, it was time to return to Civitavecchia, and a taxi to the airport. Again, it's well worth considering MSC's shuttle transfer service for the return leg as taxis can cost 50 euros per person for a journey of just 40 minutes, but there's also a much cheaper rail option.

Once at Rome's pristine Fiumicino Airport it's a breeze. Passengers over 14 can scan themselves through passport control, powerful scanners meant we didn't have to take liquids or laptops out of our luggage, and even though it picked up a razor in my washbag, the offending blade was efficiently removed and we had cleared security within two minutes.

No doubt we're lucky to have Manchester Airport bringing the world to Wythenshawe - but we'd be even luckier if checking in and clearing security was quite as quick and easy as this.

You can sail on the MSC Divina from £629 a person this spring/summer (prices and sailings may vary, figures correct at time of writing) and the cruise line offers lots of deals . Visit www.msccruises.co.uk

Silver Ray Sets Sail on Maiden Voyage in the Mediterranean

• June 18, 2024

Silversea Cruises’ new ship, Silver Ray, embarked on its maiden voyage last Saturday.

According to a press release, the LNG-powered vessel departed from Lisbon, Portugal, on a one-way cruise to Civitavecchia, Italy.

The 12-day itinerary includes visits to several destinations in the Mediterranean, including ports of call in Spain, France, Monaco and Italy.

After departing from Lisbon, the Silver Ray is set to visit Cádiz, Málaga, Valencia, Palma de Mallorca, Barcelona, Palamos, Saint Tropez, Monte Carlo and Livorno before arriving in Civitavecchia, the port for Rome.

Built by the Meyer Werft shipyard in Germany, the Silver Ray became Silversea’s 12th ship following a delivery ceremony in mid-May .

On Wednesday, June 12, the 728-guest ship was officially named during a celebration at the Port of Lisbon.

For the event, Jason Liberty, president and CEO of the Royal Caribbean Group, was joined by Bert Hernandez, celebrating his first naming as Silversea’s president.

Dr. Josefina Olascoaga, an ocean scientist and Silver Ray’s godmother, and Alessandro Zanello, the ship’s captain, officially named the vessel followed by a ceremonial champagne bottle break on the ship’s hull , a maritime tradition.

The celebration included a bagpipe performance, a tradition of the Royal Caribbean Group, alongside live dance performances, and renditions of the U.S. and Portuguese national anthems.

The Silver Ray will spend its inaugural season in the Mediterranean before crossing the Atlantic in December 2024.

During its first winter program, the ship is set to offer itineraries across the Americas, visiting the Caribbean, South America and the Panama Canal.

The deployment also includes a 20-night cruise to Brazil and the Amazon River. Sailing from Rio de Janeiro to Barbados, the one-way itinerary features visits to several destinations in the region, such as Salvador, Fortaleza, Manaus, Santarém and Parintins.

The Silver Ray is set to return to Europe in April 2025 ahead of a second summer program in the Mediterranean.

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12 Jun 2024

Tarragona Cruise Port inaugurates sustainable new terminal at 64th MedCruise General Assembly

The day saw two consecutive events, a press conference prior to the 64th edition of MedCruise and the inauguration of the new terminal on the Balears Wharf.

The terminal commissioned by Global Ports Holding opted for an off-site industrialised modular construction system.

The Port of Tarragona has invested more than one million euros in work to adapt the dock.

5.5 million euros has been spent by Global Ports Holding on the new terminal.

Yesterday, Tuesday 11 June 2024, the Port of Tarragona saw a twin celebration in the cruise tourism sector. At 6 pm, the 64th edition of the MedCruise General Assembly was inaugurated and, an hour and a half later, on the Balears Wharf, the curtain rose on the new terminal of Tarragona Cruise Port. That event took place at 7:30 pm and was attended by prominent authorities and personalities from the region’s tourism and business sectors. The MedCruise Assembly had been scheduled for 2022. However, the different organising bodies brought both events together this June 11 to share with the whole sector these two milestones in Tarragona’s cruise project.

Prior to the 64th edition of MedCruise a press conference was held at the H10 Imperial Tarraco hotel. The emphasis was on Tarragona and the sustainable cruise project jointly agreed with the territory and promoted by the Port of Tarragona since 2013. The event was attended by Figen Ayan, president of MedCruise; Saül Garreta, president of the Port of Tarragona; and Rubén Viñuales, mayor of Tarragona. They fired the starting pistol for the General Assembly and highlighted the importance of the cruise sector for the region’s economy, as well as giving the news and future prospects in the industry .

64th edition of MedCruise

The MedCruise Assembly was due to be held in 2022, but the different organising bodies decided to bring both events together this 11 June to share these two milestones in Tarragona’s cruise project with the whole sector. The initial press conference in the city was followed by the inauguration of the new terminal of Tarragona CruisePort. The MedCruise association brings together the different actors related to cruise activity, including shipping companies, port agents, tourism boards and other businesses linked to the sector. The 64th edition of the MedCruise assembly, co-organised with the Port of Tarragona, will be held from June 11 to 14. Participants include a total of 21 shipping companies, 13 invited journalists from 11 specialist media and 4 associate members, as well as 24 agents from 18 cruise companies. These figures, advanced by the highest representative of the association during the most important fair of the sector in Miami (USA), Seatrade Cruise Global, place this edition in record figures of participation compared to previous events.

Inauguration of the Cruise Terminal

Once the MedCruise press conference had ended, those present headed to the Balears Wharf in the Port of Tarragona where, at 7:30 pm, the ceremony to inaugurate the new terminal of Tarragona Cruise Port was held.

The opening ceremony was attended by Mehmet Kutman, Chairman and CEO of Global Ports Holding; Saül Garreta, president of the Port of Tarragona; Rubén Viñuales, mayor of Tarragona; Carles Brull, representative of the Tarragona Provincial; Figen Ayan, president of MedCruise; Angel Xifré, territorial delegate of the Government of Tarragona; Josep Pallarès, Rector of the Rovira i Virgili University; Laura Roigé, president of the Tarragona Chamber of Commerce; Fernando Aldecoa, director general of PortAventura World and Berta Cabré, president of the Tarragona Hospitality and Tourism Business Federation (FEHT).

Official opening ceremony of the new terminal

Shortly after seven in the evening, the first people invited to the event began to arrive at the Balears Wharf, while the evening was brightened up with the presence of the “Giants” and “Nanos” from the El Serrallo fishing quarter, who added a festive touch of folklore to the event.

Then, at 7:40 pm, the doors of the new cruise terminal, the star event, were opened, marking the official start of the ceremony. Alba Colet, director of Tarragona Cruise Port, welcomed the attendees with a short speech at the terminal gates.

Afterwards, Javier Rodríguez, Regional Director of the Western Mediterranean and Asia for Global Ports Holding, delivered his opening speech, followed by Mr. Mehmet Kutman, Chairman and CEO of Global Ports Holding.

Mr. Mehmet Kutman, Chairman and CEO of Global Ports Holding , emphasized, "I am very proud as we inaugurate the new sustainable cruise terminal, symbolizing the start of a new journey for Tarragona Cruise Port under the management of Global Ports Holding. Together, we are not just opening a port; we are opening doors to new possibilities and a brighter future for everyone connected to this beautiful city.

As the world's largest cruise port operator, we are committed to contributing to the cruise industry's ambitious goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Environmentally friendly technologies and practices, from the use of renewable energy to the efficient management of natural resources, have been thoughtfully integrated into both the terminal's construction and its future operations.

I extend our heartfelt gratitude to the Tarragona Port Authority and all local stakeholders for their invaluable support and collaboration, which have been instrumental in making today’s milestone a reality. We look forward to a fruitful collaboration and to making a significant and positive impact on cruise tourism in Tarragona."

Figen Ayan, President of MedCruise , continued with the speeches and the projection of a video about the Costa Daurada. Next, Carles Brull, representative of the Tarragona Provincial, addressed a few words to the attendees.

Rubén Viñuales, Mayor of Tarragona , then took the floor, ‘In all respects, the Tarragona brand acquires a new dimension with this terminal and it is our commitment that, with the arrival of cruise ships, we will take our brand to the highest levels of prestige and recognition, while maintaining our commitment to sustainable tourism. In this sense, going hand in hand with allies such as Global Ports Holding and especially the Port of Tarragona, unequivocally committed to the environment, represents a guarantee of doing things right’ . And to end the round of speeches it was the turn of Saül Garreta, president of the Port of Tarragona. He highlighted the sustainable tourism and territorial model defended by the Institutional Cruise Committee that it is reflected in the terminal's sustainable building and the port’s investments in the electrification of the Balears Wharf.

During the ceremony, the different authorities highlighted the importance of this new infrastructure for the development of the region’s tourism and the improvement it will mean for the cruise passengers who visit us. The new terminal has modern facilities and first-class services ready to welcome state-of-the-art cruise ships and offer a unique experience to visitors.

The inauguration of the new cruise terminal marks a before and after for the Port of Tarragona and reiterates its commitment to the sustainable growth and tourism promotion of the Costa Daurada. T

he ceremony culminated with the ribbon cutting and the official photograph. Afterwards, the guests enjoyed a formal dinner, sharing impressions and celebrating the official entry into operation of the terminal and the start of the MedCruise Assembly.

The Balears Wharf and the new terminal

The new terminal of Tarragona Cruise Port is located on the Balears Wharf. This wharfwas built by the Tarragona Port Authority (TPA) in 18 months between 2020 and 2021 at a cost of 30 million euros. This investment allowed the improvement of the port infrastructure and the expansion of the surface area available for the operation of cruises with a berthing line of 759 metres and an esplanade of 40,000 m2.

The construction of the new cruise terminal on the Balears Wharf means having a new convenient and functional facility to provide a better service to cruise passengers. "Having this new infrastructure makes it possible to offer a much more convenient and agile operation", stated Saül Garreta, president of the Tarragona Port Authority. "This is a very important step forward," he affirmed, "which, along with the electrification of the dock, will allow this activity to be decarbonised in the port and achieve a more sustainable cruise activity on the Costa Daurada".

The qualitative improvement is reflected in the terminal's ample spaces devoted to welcoming passengers with all kinds of services from its launch in June 2024.

The new terminal of Tarragona Cruise Portspeeds up the embarkation and disembarkation operations of cruise passengers on the Balears Wharf. The interior design is open and spacious. This allows the interior spaces to be modulated depending on the needs that arise and thus to be able to better manage the flow of passengers. The building has checkpoints and customs, a waiting area with benches and bathrooms, a tourist information point, a cafe and a gift shop.

In addition, the Tarragona Port Authority (TPA) has set a date of 2026 for the entry into service of the OPS (Onshore Power Supply) on the Balears Wharf. It will be the first to have a system that allows ships docked at the port to connect to the electricity grid. The TPA will shortly invite tenders for the project worth 10.25 million euros and will be one of the first Spanish ports to offer this service to cruise liners.

Design and functionality

The new terminal of Tarragona Cruise Port is the result of an innovative and sustainable project operated by Global Ports Holding, which began construction in June 2023. With a built area of 2,200 m² and an investment of 5.5 million euros, this terminal represents a significant advancement for the region, laying the foundations for a notable transformation. The terminal was constructed using an offsite industrialised modular approach devised by the architectural studio Hombre de Piedra Arquitectos. Most of the construction work was carried out in a factory in Almeria, 700 kilometres away, where the building was manufactured almost entirely with concrete modules. These modules were subsequently transported to Tarragona and assembled on-site at the Port of Tarragona Balears Wharf.

Strategically located at the Moll de Balears of Port Tarragona, the new terminal has been meticulously designed with a focus on functionality, energy eco-efficiency with the installation of solar panels, and passenger comfort. From the use of renewable energy to the efficient management of natural resources, environmentally friendly technologies and practices have been integrated into both its construction and future operations.

Its avant-garde and ergonomic design guarantees a unique experience, offering high-quality services and amenities to meet the needs of the most demanding cruise passengers. Safety and accessibility have also been paramount in the terminal design. Advanced safety measures have been implemented and accessible spaces have been created to ensure that all passengers, including those with reduced mobility, can enjoy a comfortable and safe experience.

The terminal design anticipates the future evolution of the cruise industry, providing flexible, economical and simple solutions to meet the need to expand the building if market demand requires it. The interior space is also versatile, allowing it to host cultural and social events, especially in the low tourist season.

60% reduction in CO2 emissions

The Tarragona Cruise Port stands out for its commitment to sustainability and eco-efficiency. In its construction and future expansion operations, technologies and practices respectful of the environment have been integrated, from the use of renewable energies to the efficient management of natural resources. This will significantly reduce its environmental impact and contribute to the development of responsible tourism.

The industrialised offsite construction has achieved an impressive 50% reduction in waste generation and a 60% decrease in CO2 emissions during the construction phase, with an expectation of a 30% reduction during future operations in the terminal. In addition, there is a significant decrease in water consumption during the manufacturing and maintenance stages, along with a 40% reduction in energy use for air conditioning, demonstrating a genuine commitment to environmental sustainability.

Finally, the new facilities will have solar panels allowing them to be self-sufficient and sustainable in terms of energy.

Sustainable cruise tourism

The management of the cruise activity in Tarragona has singularities that make it much more sustainable than other places. First of all, the governance model is territorial through the Institutional Cruise Committee, in which the main local government administrations and businesses on the Costa Daurada tourism sector are represented. They work together to define the dimensions and approaches to sustainable cruise tourism. The Catalan Regional Government, the Tarragona Provincial Government, Rovira i Virgili University, the Tarragona Chamber of Commerce and the town councils of Tarragona, Reus and Vila-seca are represented on the committee. Other participants include PortAventura World, the region’s hotel associations and Eurecat.

Secondly, the scale of the project in Tarragona is nothing like that of the large cruise ports. The major Mediterranean cruise ports handle between 3 and 4 million passengers a year, compared to the 115,000 in Tarragona last year. This figure is expected to grow in a sustainable and consensual manner to avoid phenomena such as massification or gentrification.

In fact, Tarragona is a model with little congestion because, unlike the large Mediterranean ports, it promotes a capillary model in which the cruise passengers who visit it are not concentrated in the port city, but are distributed around different points tourist interest on the Costa Daurada, inland in the Camp de Tarragona and in the Terres de l'Ebre.

The evolution of cruises in Tarragona

The Port of Tarragona is the gateway to the Costa Daurada, a region with a great historical legacy, which has its roots in Roman Tarraco, a World Heritage Site since the year 2000, the medieval splendours such as the monasteries of Poblet and Santes Creus, the Modernist architecture of Gaudí, Domènech i Muntaner and Jujol from the beginning of the 20th century and the present-day landscapes of the Ebro Delta, a biosphere reserve.

Such a region does not go unnoticed and, in fact, has always attracted visitors from all over the world. But, more than 10 years ago, the challenge was to make it known as a cruise tourism destination. This challenge began to take shape in 2013 with the help of the Port of Tarragona. That year, the project crossed the port domains to evolve towards a common strategy for the whole territory. The Institutional Cruise Committee was set up, led by the Port of Tarragona and made up of all the agents involved in attracting and consolidating the cruise sector on the Tarragona coast.

As a result of this territorial alliance, the Port of Tarragona has managed to make the cruise project increasingly attractive to visitors, with passenger numbers that have been growing year after year since its launch. Only the global Covid 19 pandemic slowed down this sustained and sustainable growth in 2020. Since then the activity of the cruise sector has experienced a sustained recovery, demonstrated after the close of the 2023 financial year.

During the past season, 57 calls were made, compared to 36 in 2022, with a figure of 115,022 cruise passengers, which represents an increase of 80.1% compared to the passengers of the previous year (2021). These data surpass those of 2018 and come close to the figures of 2019, which with 128,000 passengers set the record for Tarragona. Forecasts for this 2024 season are for sixty calls and around 122,000 passengers, a figure very close to that of 2019 which closed with more than 128,000 passengers.

A destination that exceeds expectations

In 2023, the economic impact of cruise activity was more than 15,000,000 euros of passenger spending on leisure, transportation and dining, mainly according to CLIA standards and the Eurecat survey commissioned by the Institutional Cruise Committee.

In 2023, cruise passengers rated their satisfaction after visiting Tarragona at 8.9 out of 10. 54% stated that Tarragona had exceeded their expectations, a higher figure compared to 41.5% of 2022. The passengers with a stopover in Tarragona were Spanish (31%), Italian (26%), French (9%), American (8%), German (5%), English (4%) and other nationalities (17%).

81% of cruise customers choose to visit the territory under their own steam, 7% take organised tours of the Costa Daurada, 4% take guided tours of the city of Tarragona and another 4% decide to visit Barcelona, just 100 km away. Among the most requested excursions are tours of the city of Tarragona (51%), PortAventura (20%), Poblet Monastery and its surroundings (20%), while the rest is divided into visits to beaches, wineries and the city of Reus.

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• Northern Europe & Baltic Sea

Moscow: question for those who have gone from St Petersburg

By Wayfairers , August 22, 2019 in Northern Europe & Baltic Sea

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I have read many of the threads that discuss whether or not Moscow is worth the expense and long day, especially when there are only 2 days in port.  I realize there are two strong opinions from people with one side saying it is worth it and the other side says stay in St Petersburg. We have decided to go Moscow on day 1 of our visit. 

So, those who have done the long trip to Moscow....did you go with the cruise ship or a private guide?   If a private guide, who and would you recommend them?  Did you take the train both ways or fly one direction?  

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On 8/22/2019 at 9:28 AM, Wayfairers said: I have read many of the threads that discuss whether or not Moscow is worth the expense and long day, especially when there are only 2 days in port.  I realize there are two strong opinions from people with one side saying it is worth it and the other side says stay in St Petersburg. We have decided to go Moscow on day 1 of our visit.    So, those who have done the long trip to Moscow....did you go with the cruise ship or a private guide?   If a private guide, who and would you recommend them?  Did you take the train both ways or fly one direction?  

Been to Moscow several times. We have used the Sapsan both ways and have also flown both ways - never a combo of the train/plane. We enjoyed the Sapsan more than the flight. We have NOT travelled to Moscow when arriving by cruise ship so have no comment on your particular situation regarding a one day tour with only 2 days in St. Pete.  Good luck - hope the visit meets your expectations.

Thanks for the info.  Good to know you enjoyed the train more than the plane - I would expect we would too as flying is typically more hassle than taking the train.  

We decided to book the trip to Moscow with the cruise ship after learning that if we miss the train or plane we don’t get a refund in addition to missing Moscow.  And, I’ve had friends who’s ship missed the St Petersburg stop due to weather.

Moscow is a great city but I would rather spend all two days in St Petersburg. Some years ago we had almost a week there and still it doesn’t seem enough. We also had one day in Moscow and the journey arranged by the local travel agency was well organized and comfortable. In a view of time restrictions of the journey (we spent almost 8 hours on the train and just 6-7 hours in the city) one day in Moscow still felt a little rushed. Anyway, enjoy planning your trip and hope you have a great time in Russia!

Just make sure the day you are going to Moscow, it is not one of their holidays or even a day before a holiday.

Moscow is an amazing city but it is frustrating when Red Square is closed for parades, etc.... It is hard to determine when they close it but it is definitely closed for their holidays. When it is closed - you can only walk around the exterior of the square and look in.

Thanks!   I will check.  We are in Moscow May 16.  I know May 9 is a holiday. 

AngelDisney

I have 2 days in St. Petersburg and am thinking about this possibility. I think it’s hard to do this with 2 days. The first day will take longer time to go ashore because of the immigration process. The second day is not possible due to the early all abroad time. It seems that it’s only worth doing it if there are 3 days in St. Petersburg especially when a full day of touring in Moscow is preferred. 

1 hour ago, AngelDisney said: I have 2 days in St. Petersburg and am thinking about this possibility. I think it’s hard to do this with 2 days. The first day will take longer time to go ashore because of the immigration process. The second day is not possible due to the early all abroad time. It seems that it’s only worth doing it if there are 3 days in St. Petersburg especially when a full day of touring in Moscow is preferred. 

For 2 days - spend the time in St. Petersburg. There is so much to see there. Save this for a 2nd trip.

When we were in St. Petersburg we were also very interested in visiting Moscow. We were already in Russia why not visit as much places as we could, right? We used Anastasia Travel for our St. Petersburg tour and also asked them to include Moscow. They were very helpful and were very much willing to arrange a day trip to Moscow for us but they suggested we just stay in St. Petersburg since we only had 2 days. They were kind enough to explain that we would just waste time and money if me push through with the Moscow trip. We would spend more time on the train instead of using the time to explore and enjoy the sights. They were actually correct and we ended up enjoying a wonderful 2-day tour in St. Petersburg. I guess we'll have to go back to see Moscow and make sure to stay longer! 

angie7911922

When we went to St Petersburg we had the same dilemma. We decided not to go to Moscow and didn’t regret it one bit. There is so much to see! If you spend the 2 days in St Petersburg you can go and see Peterhof Palace on one of the days. We were on a Princess cruise and like flowslow, we booked our private tours with Katharina from Anastasia Travel.   This way we used our time to the fullest to see as much as possible at our pace with a personal guide. (We are not fond of the big group tours from the cruise lines).

9 hours ago, angie7911922 said: When we went to St Petersburg we had the same dilemma. We decided not to go to Moscow and didn’t regret it one bit. There is so much to see! If you spend the 2 days in St Petersburg you can go and see Peterhof Palace on one of the days. We were on a Princess cruise and like flowslow, we booked our private tours with Katharina from Anastasia Travel.   This way we used our time to the fullest to see as much as possible at our pace with a personal guide. (We are not fond of the big group tours from the cruise lines).

We have two days and decided only staying in SPB for both days. We are thinking of forming a private tour with other cruisers on another forum as the CC roll call for that cruise is so quiet. We are looking into Anastasia Travel as well. Very excited to go!

On 9/1/2019 at 8:09 PM, AngelDisney said: We have two days and decided only staying in SPB for both days. We are thinking of forming a private tour with other cruisers on another forum as the CC roll call for that cruise is so quiet. We are looking into Anastasia Travel as well. Very excited to go!

Great idea to form a small group!! Have a fantastic time and I am sure you wont regret that decision!! 

luvtravel88

I'm not sure about customs when coming in on a cruise ship. We were told that if we wanted to leave the ship, we would have to be on a tour, either a ships tour or private tour. I know we had to show our tour tickets at customs to be allowed to go further. We chose Alla tours and they were fantastic. We were docked in St. Petersburg for 3 days and we did go to Moscow on the Capsan train on the 2nd day. It was a VERY long day. We had to meet our group at 6:00am and were on the train at 7:00am. We arrived back at to our cabin at 1:30am the next day. It was a wonderful day and we're so glad we went but if we were in St. Petersburg for only 2 days, I probably wouldn't spend a day in Moscow. It is a 4 hour train ride each way, and if you need to be back to the ship to depart, it may not leave you much time in Moscow. The 8 hours we spent there, wasn't nearly enough. Traffic is horrible and we ended up getting off our bus and taking the subway to Red Square. Those 8 hours allowed us a tour of Red Square, which was phenomenal as well as a quick walk through GUM department store and a ride on the subway with several stops to see the mosaics, sculptures and chandeliers that are in the corridors of the subway stops.

But.....there is so much to see in St. Petersburg , the 2 days we spent there, were a whirl.

Whatever you decide to do, be sure you're in line to get off the ship before the ship arrives in port. We were in line an hour early and there were still about 20 people ahead of us. We found that the cruise ship allowed their tour groups to get off the ship first, so when we got to customs, the lines were outrageous. It took us about an hour in line and we were late starting our tour. I had organized the tour with Alla and had advertised it on our cruise forum here at Cruise Critic. There were 12 of us and we met up on the ship each morning and went through customs together so we all met the tour bus at the same time. That was very helpful!

The lines the first day were the worst and days 2 and 3 went much more quickly. Also, everyone was getting off the ship at the same time on Day 1, but tours met and left at different times on Days 2 and 3.

16 minutes ago, luvtravel88 said: . Whatever you decide to do, be sure you're in line to get off the ship before the ship arrives in port. We were in line an hour early and there were still about 20 people ahead of us. We found that the cruise ship allowed their tour groups to get off the ship first, so when we got to customs, the lines were outrageous. It took us about an hour in line and we were late starting our tour. ! The lines the first day were the worst and days 2 and 3 went much more quickly. Also, everyone was getting off the ship at the same time on Day 1, but tours met and left at different times on Days 2 and 3.

This is one of the reasons that we decided to use the cruise ship to go to Moscow our first day in St Petersburg. 

25 minutes ago, Wayfairers said: This is one of the reasons that we decided to use the cruise ship to go to Moscow our first day in St Petersburg. 

I believe that the ship tours to Moscow go via air, right?

Yes, as others have noted, there is MUCH to see in Saint Petersburg and in spending a week there one will barely scratch the surface - the same is true for Moscow.

It sounds like you want to get a "taste" of both cities - don't allow anyone to "throw water" on your plans as you best know what you want to do. You can always return for an extended visit.  😉

4 hours ago, dogs4fun said: I believe that the ship tours to Moscow go via air, right? Yes, as others have noted, there is MUCH to see in Saint Petersburg and in spending a week there one will barely scratch the surface - the same is true for Moscow. It sounds like you want to get a "taste" of both cities - don't allow anyone to "throw water" on your plans as you best know what you want to do. You can always return for an extended visit.  😉

No, our ship tour is going by train there and back unless I misread something.  You are right...we just want a taste of both cities.  In fact, that is what we get from all cruise port stops - just a taste.  We are never there long enough to the see the area completely.

2 hours ago, Wayfairers said: No, our ship tour is going by train there and back unless I misread something.  

Interesting - I thought that the ship tours flew to Moscow when in port for only 2 days. Hope you will post upon return and let us know how it went.

16 hours ago, dogs4fun said: Interesting - I thought that the ship tours flew to Moscow when in port for only 2 days. Hope you will post upon return and let us know how it went.

Double checked and it says we go to Moscow on the high speed train.   Come back the same way.   From all I’ve read it takes a little longer (ship to Moscow sites) to fly than to take the train.  

I've been thinking about that - and I might be wrong, but it seems to me an SPB-Moscow combo over a 3-day cruise is one of the few remaining cases where obtaining a full-fledged Russian visa actually makes sense (especially for families/groups and especially if one is willing to do some DIY trip planning). 

Just to make sure, though - for those staying on the ship, is there some kind of curfew, or are you able to come and go as you please?

4 minutes ago, napoxoguk said: I've been thinking about that - and I might be wrong, but it seems to me an SPB-Moscow combo over a 3-day cruise is one of the few remaining cases where obtaining a full-fledged Russian visa actually makes sense (especially for families/groups and especially if one is willing to do some DIY trip planning).    Just to make sure, though - for those staying on the ship, is there some kind of curfew, or are you able to come and go as you please?  

If you have a Russian visa there is no curfew - you may come and go as you wish. In fact, if you so choose, you can spend the entire time in the city (staying at a hotel in either Moscow or St. Petersburg) rather than returning to your ship each evening - but ONLY if you have a visa.

6 minutes ago, dogs4fun said: If you have a Russian visa there is no curfew - you may come and go as you wish. In fact, if you so choose, you can spend the entire time in the city (staying at a hotel in either Moscow or St. Petersburg) rather than returning to your ship each evening - but ONLY if you have a visa.

That is what my research shows too.  A quick google search showed the tourist visas for US citizens are $160.  I’m willing to pay for a tour rather than get the visa.  We’ve gotten most of the visas that are a pain to get and I’m tired of doing that. 

2 minutes ago, Wayfairers said: I’m willing to pay for a tour rather than get the visa

I understand. Ru visa process can be expensive and time consuming, especially if you live far away from one of the visa centers.

I'm just trying to come up with a reasonably conservative number - what can one realistically expect to pay for a mad 1-day Moscow dash if they go DIY.

For a regular SPB-only itinerary, visa doesn't seem to make sense - not only price-wise, but also from the standpoint of convenience - all the local operators have their itineraries down to a science.

With Moscow, though, it's not so clear-cut.

I found that most of the tour operators will give you a tour but no guarantee that you make it to Moscow because you will miss the train if debarkation is too slow.  I found one tour that offers a 2 day tour with a flight to Moscow day 1 and train back and St Petersburg day 2.   Seriously considered them.   I briefly thought about getting a visa and spending the night in Moscow but never priced everything out. If you look into that I would love to see what you find. Probably not for us though because I want to see some of both cities.  

2 hours ago, napoxoguk said: I understand. Ru visa process can be expensive and time consuming, especially if you live far away from one of the visa centers. I'm just trying to come up with a reasonably conservative number - what can one realistically expect to pay for a mad 1-day Moscow dash if they go DIY.

I have visited Russia multiple times. I received my latest 3 year visa in May and here are the associated costs:

Single/Double/Multiple entry visa, consular fee = $198

Visa Center Processing fee = $50

Total = $248   (this is your total if you apply in person at one of the 4 consulates located in the USA - since I don't live near a Russian consulate, I must use the more costly mail option)

SO ... here is what I actually paid:

Multiple entry visa, consular fee = $198

Visa Center Processing fee by mail = $120

Return shipping/handling fee = $35

Total = $353

Totally worth the fee as I spend multiple weeks in Russia yearly and prefer DIY - personally, I would not consider a visa if it was a one time visit via cruise.

So, for DIY, added to the visa expense, one must add the cost of the sapsan train (or flight), Moscow transportation (metro is great), food & associated entrance fees to the Kremlin (and whatever else one has the time/desire to visit).

FYI: There is a HOHO in both Moscow & St. Petersburg.

Okay, I think the diy budget might be something like ₽20,000 (about $300) per person. This includes:

Train tickets: ₽9000 (5+4); Kremlin+armory: 1700 (1000+700)

Boat ride:600

Meals: 3000 (1500 per casual meal)

Contingencies (Uber ride if needed, etc): 2500. 

It's based on a number of assumptions, so real-life mileage will vary - please let me know if you identify some glaring omissions or errors.

Assumptions:

Done on day 2 of three.

Good weather (lots of outside/walking time)

Earliest Sapsan to Moscow, overnight double decker from Moscow (no hotel stays)

Train tickets purchased at least 30 days in advance, economy for Sapsan and economy plus for the double decker (includes a bottle of water and a piece of gingerbread).

All group members are adults

Done on a day when the Kremlin, Red Sq, and other Moscow attractions are actually open.

Boat ride via watertrams-radisson.ru (the cheapest option with English audio guide)

Sample itinerary:

leave SPB on Sapsan 743a (5:30am), sleep on the train.

Arrive Moscow 9am

DIY Metro tour until 11am

Kremlin excursion (cathedral Sq, DIY) 11:30

Armory excursion (audioguide) 12:30 

Quick lunch (at GUM stolovaya or fast food chains at Manezhnaya sq) : 2 to 3pm.

Walk to Zaryadye boat pier via Alexander's garden, Red Sq, Zaryadye. Boats leave every 30 minutes. Route: Zaryadye- Gorky Park - luzhniki- Ukraina - turnaround - sparrow hills - Gorky Park. Time on board: 2 hrs. 

Gorky Park/muzeon (5:30 to 7:30). 

Head back (metro) towards red sq for evening walk/dinner (tverskaya-kamergersky-b.dmitrovka-metropol-nikolskaya area)

Need to be back at the train station by 10:30 to catch the 006aa train departing at 10:50. 

Back to SPB at 6:47 am.

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• Security Council

Urging Just, Lasting Peace in Ukraine, Disarmament Chief Tells Security Council Weapons Transfer to Warring Parties Must Respect International Law

As the United Nations’ disarmament chief urged just and lasting peace in Ukraine before the Security Council today, its members — meeting again, at the Russian Federation’s behest, on Western arms deliveries to that country — alternately reiterated Kyiv’s right to defend itself, pointed to Moscow’s procurement of arms from third States and called for dialogue ahead of a peace summit that will occur in Switzerland on 15-16 June.

“I reiterate that any transfer of weapons and ammunition must take place consistently with the applicable international legal framework — including, of course, relevant Security Council resolutions,” emphasized Izumi Nakamitsu, High Representative for Disarmament Affairs.  Addressing the risk of diversion is also essential, she said, which requires supply-chain transparency as well as cooperation and information exchange between importing, transit and exporting States.  Detailing other concrete counter-diversion measures, she also expressed concern over Ukraine’s widespread contamination with explosive remnants of war.

The Russian Federation’s full-scale invasion — launched in violation of international law — “continues to inflict a terrible toll on the people of Ukraine”, she stressed, reporting that 11,126 civilians have been killed, alongside 21,863 injured, since the war began.  The actual figures are likely to be considerably higher. “Such human suffering cannot continue,” she underscored, adding:  “As I have repeatedly stated, we need a just and lasting peace in Ukraine in line with the UN Charter, international law and relevant General Assembly resolutions.”

The Council also heard from Daniel Kovalik, peace activist, who said that that the United States “is presenting Russia with a ‘reverse Cuban missile crisis’”.  Ukraine has been utilizing United States drones to attack radar stations deep inside the Russian Federation, he said, which are designed to defend that country against potential nuclear attack from the United States.  Pointing out that Moscow could view such attacks as an attempt to pave the way for a nuclear first strike, he said that the current United States President is going out of his way to try to bring about a third World War.

Agreeing, the representative of the Russian Federation warned that “the situation surrounding Ukraine is developing based on an increasingly dangerous scenario”.  Western States have decided on escalation, which risks catastrophic consequences.  Further, Western instructors and mercenaries have been involved since the beginning of the conflict in Ukraine, he said, underscoring that Western leaders — while dreaming about vanquishing his country on the battlefield — completely misunderstand the scale of the threat they are creating.  He asked: “Do you understand that your leadership is pushing Europe to the brink of a new great war?”

As other Council members joined the debate, many juxtaposed military support provided to Ukraine pursuant to its right to defend itself under Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations against reports of Moscow’s procurement and use of arms from Pyongyang and Tehran in violation of Council resolutions.  Others, highlighting the war’s devastating impact on civilians, urged the parties to negotiate towards peace.

“While spreading the nonsense that the possession of arms by the defending party makes peace elusive, Russia itself continues to receive weapons from rogue States like Iran and North Korea,” underscored Ukraine’s representative.  Spotlighting the upcoming peace summit, he said that “the powerful voice of the nations united around the principles of the UN Charter” will be decisive for peace in Ukraine.  This voice, he added, is critical to make Moscow move towards good-faith negotiations to end the war, rather than continue “a propaganda campaign amplified by horrific daily missile strikes on Ukraine”.

“Russia is fooling no one,” stressed the representative of the United States, joining others in asserting that today’s meeting is an attempt to distract the world from what is happening in Ukraine.  Concurring, the United Kingdom’s representative said that Moscow called today’s debate to obscure a simple truth — that President Putin’s illegal and unprovoked invasion is the sole cause of “the situation we face today”.  “The problem”, he underscored, “is the presence of Russian weapons in Ukraine — not the reverse.”

Today’s meeting should have focused on the “illegal military cooperation” between Moscow and Pyongyang, stressed the representative of the Republic of Korea, Council President for June, as he spoke in his national capacity.  Malta’s representative, similarly, said that the Russian Federation’s decision to veto the mandate renewal for the relevant Panel of Experts undermines the global non-proliferation regime and the UN Charter.  Underscoring that “Ukraine has no alternative but to defend itself”, he noted that the upcoming peace summit will be a step towards comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine.

However, the representative of Sierra Leone said that the Russian Federation should have been invited to that summit, as it is “a key stakeholder in any peace process”.  While “recognizing the rights of nations to self-defence”, he underlined the need for all parties to exercise restraint and prioritize peaceful conflict resolution.  Mozambique’s representative echoed that, observing that conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza are examples of “forever wars” where prolonged violence becomes seemingly endless, exacerbated by external military support and asymmetric warfare.

“The situation on the ground is not evolving towards a peaceful settlement,” said Algeria’s representative, expressing concern over the influx and use of increasingly lethal and destructive weapons and ammunition in conflict zones.  The representative of Guyana, noting that military budgets are soaring, contrasted global military expenditures of $2.4 trillion in 2023 with the fact that the humanitarian response plan for Ukraine remains only 27.5 per cent funded.  Calling on the Russian Federation to withdraw from Ukraine’s internationally recognized territory, she underscored the need to find just, lasting peace through diplomacy.

Echoing that call was Switzerland’s representative, who also stated:  “We must have the courage to build peace.”  Spotlighting the upcoming Ukraine peace summit that her country will host from 15 to 16 June, she expressed hope that “this meeting will inspire a framework for a future peace process and enable us to move forward on the path to ending this terrible war”.

THREATS TO INTERNATIONAL PEACE AND SECURITY

IZUMI NAKAMITSU, High Representative for Disarmament Affairs , reported that the Russian Federation’s full-scale invasion — launched in violation of international law — “continues to inflict a terrible toll on the people of Ukraine”.  Moscow’s intensified offensives in Kharkiv and other parts of the country have resulted in high numbers of civilian casualties and massive destruction of civilian objects and infrastructure.  There have also been reports of an increasing number of strikes inside the Russian Federation resulting in civilian casualties and damage to civilian infrastructure.  Expressing concern over continued, intensified attacks affecting civilian populations and infrastructure, she underscored that deliberate, direct attacks against such targets — as well as indiscriminate, disproportionate attacks — are prohibited under international humanitarian law and “must cease immediately”.  Further, the use of explosive weapons in populated areas must be avoided, and she urged, ultimately, “taking combat out of urban areas altogether”.

Noting that the provision of military assistance and transfers of arms and ammunition to the Ukrainian Armed Forces have continued, she said that information from Governments regarding such transfers is accessible through open sources.  There have also been reports of States transferring — or planning to transfer — weapons and ammunition to the Russian Federation Armed Forces, and that these weapons have been used in Ukraine.  “I reiterate that any transfer of weapons and ammunition must take place consistently with the applicable international legal framework — including, of course, relevant Security Council resolutions,” she said.  She also expressed concern over reports related to the use of cluster munitions and to Ukraine’s widespread contamination with mines and explosive remnants of war, pointing out that — even after the fighting ends — “these deadly devices can contaminate communities for decades to come, posing a daily and deadly danger to women, men and children and hampering reconstruction efforts”.

Against that backdrop, she underlined the need for full participation in, and implementation of, international conventions governing anti-personnel mines, cluster munitions and certain conventional weapons. Further, addressing the risk of diversion is “essential for preventing further instability and insecurity in Ukraine, the region and beyond”, she stressed.  This requires supply-chain transparency, as well as cooperation and information exchange between importing, transit and exporting States. Concrete counter-diversion measures, meanwhile, include enhanced marking, record-keeping and tracing practices; comprehensive pre-transfer diversion risk assessments; end-user certificates that include non-transfer clauses; post-shipment verifications; and diversion monitoring and analysis.  Effective physical security and stockpile management, as well as customs and border-control measures, are also key.

Stating that the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has verified that the ongoing war in Ukraine has killed 11,126 civilians and injured 21,863 others — and that “the actual figures are likely to be considerably higher” — she expressed concern that the number of civilian casualties in May 2024 was the highest since June 2023.  “Such human suffering cannot continue,” she underscored, calling on States to avoid taking any actions that could lead to further escalation and possible miscalculation. She added:  “As I have repeatedly stated, we need a just and lasting peace in Ukraine in line with the UN Charter, international law and relevant General Assembly resolutions.”

DANIEL KOVALIK, peace activist, said “the US is presenting Russia with a ‘reverse Cuban missile crisis’”, noting that Ukraine has been utilizing United States drones to attack radar stations deep inside in the Russian Federation which are designed to defend that country against potential nuclear attack from the United States.  The Russian Federation could view the attacks upon its radar stations as an attempt to pave the way for a nuclear first strike, he said, asking:  “Could one imagine how the US would have reacted in 1962, or today, if Cuba used Russian weapons to attack similar US radar stations deep within the United States?”  Recalling how then United States President John F. Kennedy worked behind the scenes to negotiate an end to the Cuban missile crisis even while he took an aggressive position publicly, he said the current crisis is much more concerning “given that the US does not have a leader of JFK’s calibre at the helm”.

Indeed, he added, the current President is actually going out of his way to try to bring about a third World War, he said, noting that the Biden Administration has announced that it will be officially supplying arms to Ukraine’s Azov Battalion, an avowed neo-Nazi military organization.  Outlining this group’s recruitment activities, he said it has established youth camps and education programmes, including some that teach children as young as nine military tactics.  Stressing that support for this Nazi organization must be viewed as a threat to peace and security in all of Europe, and as a special threat to the Russian Federation, he called on the Council to do something to stop this “abomination”.

The representative of the Russian Federation warned that “the situation surrounding Ukraine is developing based on an increasingly dangerous scenario”.  Western States have decided to achieve another uptick in escalation, which risks catastrophic consequences.  In this context, he echoed the words of the German Minister of Defence, who said:  “We must not believe that Putin will stop at Ukraine’s borders — when he gets that far, we should be ready for war with Russia by 2029.  We will need young women and men who can defend our country.”   Along similar lines, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)’s Secretary General recently asserted that “the right to self-defence includes striking at legitimate targets outside Ukraine”, noting that “this does not constitute escalation”. Western States have been pumping Ukraine full of weapons for two years, using any means to keep the crisis in an active phase; Washington, D.C.’s elites even state that the proxy war on Ukrainian territory is “the cheapest possible way to exert pressure on Russia”.

Since the beginning of the conflict in Ukraine, Western instructors and mercenaries have been partaking in it, he continued, adding that Western servicemen are micro-managing the regime’s use of cutting-edge, high-precision, long-range weapons.  They are also determining the targets of these strikes, he observed, adding that “everyone complicit will be punished”.  Western leaders — while dreaming about vanquishing the Russian Federation on the battlefield — completely misunderstood the scale of the threat that they are creating.  “Do you understand that your leadership is pushing Europe to the brink of a new great war?” he asked.  Detailing Ukraine’s attacks on Russian civilian targets, he said that, on 7 June, using United States weapons in Lugansk, the stairwell of a residential building collapsed, killing 6 and injuring 60.

“We are ready to discuss how we can achieve a lasting peace in Ukraine and Europe based on the reality on the ground and given our security interests,” he asserted, outlining President Vladimir Putin’s specific proposal for peace.  It includes a neutral non-bloc status for Ukraine without nuclear weapons, nuclear demilitarization and denazification, full respect for rights and freedoms of Russian-speaking citizens in Ukraine, the recognition of the territorial reality on the ground — that is, the status of Crimea, the city of Sevastopol, Donetsk, Lugansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia as constituent entities of the Russian Federation. He also underscored that all Western sanctions against his country should be lifted.

The representative of the United Kingdom , stating that his colleague from the Russian Federation called today’s debate to obscure a simple truth, said:  “The situation we face today has one sole cause — [Russian Federation] President [Vladimir V.] Putin’s illegal and unprovoked invasion.”  Underscoring that “the problem is the presence of Russian weapons in Ukraine, not the reverse”, he pointed out that much of Moscow’s campaign is planned and delivered from Russian Federation territory.  Glide bombs hitting Ukrainian cities and missiles hitting power stations are launched from aircraft inside Russian Federation airspace, and Moscow is mustering, equipping and commanding forces for the Kharkiv offensive from inside its borders.  Ukraine has “every right to defend itself from these attacks”, he said, emphasizing that striking military targets actively threatening its territory, infrastructure and civilian population “is not ‘escalatory’ — as Russia has claimed — but a reasonable step to protect itself”.  He added:  “Every country in a similar situation would do the same.”

The representative of Guyana , noting 28 months of near-daily bombardment of cities and towns and the killing of at least 11,000 civilians across Ukraine, said 14.6 million Ukrainians — about 40 per cent of the population — require some form of humanitarian assistance.  With armed conflicts proliferating, Governments around the world are making unprecedented investments into soaring military budgets.  Global military expenditure for 2023 reached $2.4 trillion, while the Ukraine Humanitarian Response Plan remains only 27.5 per cent funded, she pointed out.  Highlighting the direct and indirect links between military expenditure and the reduction of resources for development, she called on the Russian Federation to withdraw its military forces from the internationally recognized territory of Ukraine.  There is an urgent need to find a just and lasting peace through a political and diplomatic process, she said.

The representative of France noted that today marks the sixteenth time the Russian Federation has convened a meeting on Western arms deliveries to Ukraine.  Faced with the disaster it has unleashed, it is attempting to reverse responsibility.  Western weapons are not behind this war, he said, rather “the decision taken by Russia to launch […] the large-scale invasion of a State which posed no threat to it”.  Also, Western weapons are not prolonging this conflict or weakening the international non-proliferation architecture.  In this context, he recalled Moscow’s decision to obtain its arms and ammunition from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and armed drones from Iran.  While Russian strikes intensify against Ukrainian territory — including its civilian populations and infrastructure — France will continue to provide that country with the military support pivotal to the protection of its air and land space, he asserted, adding that “helping Ukraine defend itself creates the conditions for a just and lasting peace”.

The representative of Sierra Leone expressed concern over attacks on the Russian Federation city of Belgorod and the use of highly destructive glide bombs dropped from planes on the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv and its surroundings.  He expressed further concern over “the seeming authorization given by some countries, encouraging Ukraine to use weapons supplied by third parties to strike targets inside Russia”.  While “recognizing the rights of nations to self-defence”, he underlined the need for all parties to exercise restraint and prioritize peaceful means for conflict resolution.  In this context, he said that the Russian Federation should have been invited to attend the upcoming Ukraine peace summit, as it is “a key stakeholder in any peace process”.  He also called for an immediate cessation of hostilities, respect for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict that account for “the legitimate concerns of all parties involved”.

The representative of the United States , stressing that today’s meeting is a transparent attempt to distract the world from what is happening in Ukraine, added:  “Russia is fooling no one.”  Rejecting the assertion that it is Ukraine’s efforts to defend itself that are blocking peace, he said that after more than two years since the start of the Russian Federation’s full-scale invasion, “there are now more countries sitting around this table than have stood beside Russia in its illegal war of aggression.”  The Russian Federation has been strengthening ties with the few countries willing to support it, he said, adding that the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea has unlawfully transferred dozens of ballistic missiles and thousands of containers of munitions to aid the war against Ukraine.  That is a clear violation of Security Council resolutions, he said, adding that Iran and China are also supporting the Russian Federation’s war efforts.  The United States will stand by Ukraine, he said, calling on all States to do the same. 

The representative of Algeria underscored the need to abandon the logic of confrontation prevailing in the conflict in Ukraine and urged the parties to prioritize the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure and favour dialogue and genuine negotiation, taking into consideration their legitimate security concerns.  Noting that “the situation on the ground is not evolving towards a peaceful settlement”, he expressed concern about the influx and use of increasingly lethal and destructive weapons and ammunition in conflict zones.  Equally concerning is the risk of those weapons falling into the hands and control of criminal or terrorist groups, as it could cause widespread threats to peace and security.  “Our focus should be on reaching a peaceful settlement that could garner the consensus of the parties involved in this conflict,” he stated, stressing that “only genuine and inclusive negotiations could bring us closer to ending this conflict and building sustainable peace.”

The representative of Malta , pointing out that the Russian Federation is again trying to present the narrative that Ukraine is not entitled to defend itself — or receive any assistance from its allies to do so — stressed:  “To exist, however, Ukraine has no alternative but to defend itself.” Moscow’s recent campaign against Ukraine’s power grid has been devastating, he said, noting that “as Ukraine’s summer starts with blackouts, unease about winter also begins to set in”. Also expressing concern over mounting evidence of Moscow’s procurement and use of Pyongyang’s missiles against Ukraine, he said that the Russian Federation’s decision to veto the mandate renewal for the relevant Panel of Experts undermines the global non-proliferation regime and the Charter of the United Nations.  The upcoming peace summit will be a step towards comprehensive, just and lasting peace for Ukraine, he added, stressing:  “A world in which might is right is a proposition that Malta can never accept.”

The representative of Mozambique , noting the United Nations repeated call for an immediate cessation of hostilities, said the human toll is heart-breaking.  The path of escalating military force cannot lead to a sustainable resolution to this crisis, he pointed out; rather, it is fueling an arms race.  “The escalatory trajectory of this conflict is anchored in the sole and firm belief in a military solution,” he added.  The Russian Federation-Ukraine and Gaza conflicts are examples of “forever wars” where prolonged violence becomes seemingly endless and gets exacerbated by external military support and asymmetric warfare, he said.  The safety of innocent civilians should be a non-negotiable principle, he said, stressing that the solution lies in a political and negotiated approach and calling on both parties to immediately cease hostilities and resume direct negotiations. 

The representative of Switzerland called on the Russian Federation to immediately de-escalate the situation, cease all hostilities and withdraw its troops from Ukrainian territory.  Noting that amid the ongoing devastating attacks on Ukraine, the number of civilian casualties continues to rise, she stressed that civilian populations and infrastructure must be protected.  Regarding arms transfers, she reaffirmed the need to comply with the relevant multilateral conventions and instruments, including Council resolutions.  “We must have the courage to build peace,” she stated, drawing attention to the Summit on Peace in Ukraine, to be held in Switzerland from 15 to 16 June.  Nearly 100 delegations will attend, she said, expressing hope that “this meeting will inspire a framework for a future peace process and enable us to move forward on the path to ending this terrible war”.

The representative of China said that the constant flow of weapons and ammunition into the battlefield will only exacerbate the crisis, result in more casualties and increase the risk of proliferation. “Complex issues can never find simple solutions,” he stressed, adding that “weapons might help end the war, but will not bring about lasting peace”.  Recalling his country’s consistent position on “the question of Ukraine”, he said that China will push for peace negotiations and play a constructive role towards political settlement of the crisis.  He also said that the representative of the United States again “spread false remarks” that China has supported the rebuilding of the Russian Federation’s defence industry.  Beijing has not provided lethal weapons to any party to the conflict and has always strictly controlled dual-use items, he underscored, urging the United States to “stop using the Ukraine issue as an excuse to smear China and to impose unilateral sanctions and unreasonable suppression on Chinese companies”.

The representative of Slovenia , reaffirming his country’s support for Ukraine, said such support is in line with the applicable international and national legal frameworks.  In contrast, there is ample evidence to suggest that the Russian Federation is procuring arms illegally from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.  Responding to the statements about the rising profits of Western defence companies, he said:  “Aid to Ukraine is not a matter of money, economy or profits; it is a matter of principle and solidarity.”  Rejecting the Russian Federation’s double standards, he said that country has shifted into a full wartime economy and is spending an estimated 30 per cent of its budget for attacks on a neighbouring country.  While “hearing the Russian delegation speak about prospects for peace fills us with hope”, he stressed that lasting peace starts and ends with the respect of international law.

The representative of Japan emphasized that “it is Russia that initiated this war of aggression in violation of the UN Charter [and] will never be able to justify any of its illegal actions against Ukraine, nor undermine [its] legitimate right to defend itself”.  For the majority of the international community, providing continuous, legitimate support for Ukraine is natural as it fights for its survival, sovereignty and territorial integrity.  “There can be no just and lasting peace without Ukraine,” she stated, noting that pursuing “neutrality” between the aggressor and the victim — while treating both as if they are on an equal footing - should not be the goal as such an approach only benefits the aggressor.

The representative of Ecuador said that his country has “rallied behind the widely resounding international clarion call” for the parties to refrain from using explosive weapons in populated areas. Further, he urged them to move the fighting away from urban areas and nuclear facilities.  Stating that self-defence “is enshrined in — and must be pursued within — the provisions of the Charter”, he emphasized that munitions transfers must be conducted in accordance with international law. Additionally, States’ import, transit, production and export must avoid the diversion of, illicit trade in and misuse of weapons.  He also recalled that his country has historically rejected any violation of States’ sovereignty or territorial integrity and has always favoured the peaceful resolution of disputes.  “This is a principle from which we cannot stray — in this or in other conflicts,” he stressed, urging immediate constructive dialogue between the parties to cease hostilities and restore peace.

The representative of the Republic of Korea , Council President for June, speaking in his national capacity, highlighted the sharp increase in the civilian death toll in Ukraine last month. Reaffirming that country’s inherent right to self-defence, he said it is crystal clear to the international community who the aggressor and defender are.  The ongoing arms trade between the Russian Federation and Democratic People’s Republic of Korea constitutes a blatant violation of multiple Security Council resolution, he said, adding that today’s meeting should have focused on this “illegal military cooperation”.  Also pointing to the forthcoming high-level meeting between both countries, he said the Russian Federation is derelict in its duties as a permanent member of the Council.  Recalling the Ukraine recovery conference in Germany earlier this week, he pointed to the global support for the Summit on Peace in Ukraine in Switzerland.

The representative of Ukraine stated that “Russia continues to kill Ukrainians”.  Just two days ago, nine civilians were killed in the city of Kryvyi Rih, Dnipropetrovsk region, after a Russian Iskander-M ballistic missile hit a multi-story residential building.  This attack also wounded 29 people, including five children.  Earlier that day, Moscow attempted to kill residents of Kyiv by targeting the Ukrainian capital with six missiles, both cruise and ballistic, and 24 Shahed drones.  While the Ukrainian Air Defence Forces intercepted all drones and five missiles, one missile hit a civilian infrastructure facility.  Last night, another barrage of 14 missiles and 17 drones was launched on Ukrainian cities.  He also stressed that more than 900 soldiers of the Azov Brigade are held in Russian Federation prisons.  As reported by the OHCHR, some of them were beaten to death and others given long-term or life sentences simply for being members of the Azov Brigade, he said, urging Moscow to stop its torture, grant unimpeded access to them by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and include them in prisoner exchanges. 

“While spreading the nonsense that the possession of arms by the defending party makes peace elusive, Russia itself continues to receive weapons from rogue States like Iran and North Korea,” he further underscored. Pyongyang has already reportedly sent to that country 10,000 shipping containers that could hold nearly 5 million artillery shells.  Moreover, Moscow resorts to press-ganging foreign nationals into its occupation forces in Ukraine by threatening those already in the country.  Its authorities have also been threatening not to extend visas of African students and workers unless they agree to join the military.  Foreigners with work visas are detained and forced to choose between deportation or army enlistment.  Moscow is also luring foreign nationals with promises of lucrative work:  among the most recent cases is the escape of 22 Sri Lankans who managed to desert from the Russian Federation’s army and return home — one of them told reporters that he had received a job offer to be a driver in the country.  “Upon arrival, however, he was handed an assault rifle and sent to the frontline,” he added.

Spotlighting the inaugural Summit on Peace in Ukraine, which will start in Switzerland tomorrow, he said that “the powerful voice of the nations united around the principles of the UN Charter at the Summit will be decisive for a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine.”  This voice is critical to make Moscow accept these principles, abandon ultimatums and move to good-faith negotiations to end the war rather than continue “a propaganda campaign amplified by horrific daily missile strikes on Ukraine”, he stressed.

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