Page 22 - The Summit of the Americas 2021

INSIDER

Global Ports Holding provides critical partnership in

developing Nassau as a home port

The cruise industry made positive Global Ports Holding Plc, the Bahamas achieved without a strong commitment
waves in mid-March when luxury cruise Investment Fund (“BIF”) and the Yes to the trilateral partnership between key
brand Crystal Cruises announced it was Foundation. contributors to this process – Nassau Cruise
launching a series of seven-night round-trip The 25-year port operation and lease Port Ltd., the Government of The Bahamas,
“Bahamas Escapes” voyages from Nassau. agreement that GPH signed with the and our cruise line partners,” he continued.
The line’s Crystal Serenity ship would Government of the Bahamas covers NCP’s Maura explains how each entity works
homeport in Nassau, and visit Bimini and Prince George Wharf and related areas at together to ensure that everyone has what
four other Bahama Islands, avoiding any Nassau cruise port. they need to make this work.
U.S. ports. Under the terms of the agreement, “NCP collaborates with the
The response from the pubic was NCP is to invest up to $250 million in government to contribute to policy and
immense and immediate. Within the first 24 expanding the capacity of the port, and regulation development to ensure that
hours of opening reservations “nearly 4,000 transform the cruise port experience the best interests of our communities are
enthusiastic travelers reserved staterooms for both the passengers and the local maintained; the government collaborates
or suites on at least one of the seven-night population, the company said at the with the cruise lines on health protocols,
voyages that cruise from Nassau or Bimini signing. contractual matters, and other details to
roundtrip booking more than 25 percent The project will also see the building ensure a mutually beneficial partnership
of the 16 voyages combined availability,” of a new terminal building; the creation exists on an ongoing basis; and NCP works
reported Crystal. of an event and entertainment area; with the cruise lines to ensure that their
Four days later, Royal Caribbean investment into improving the current retail operational, passenger experience, and
announced the relaunch of its Caribbean facilities; and the design and construction other needs are met at the port. It takes a
cruise service would commence in June, of new food and beverage facilities, GPH lot of teamwork, coordination, listening,
also from a home port in Nassau. RCL’s announced. and flexibility to achieve such effective
summer lineup features the Adventure Global Ports Holding Plc is eager collaboration. We appreciate the constant
of the Seas with visits to Nassau, Grand to take its role as a critical partner in the support of all our partners in making this
Bahama, Perfect Day at CocoCay (a Royal restart of cruise tourism in the region. kind of progress possible.”
Caribbean private island destination), and “We are extremely excited to
Cozumel, Mexico. participate in the relaunch of cruising in the Challenges and rewards
The reason the cruise lines could region,” exclaimed Mike Maura, Jr., Global Maura made it clear that the partners
take such a bold step to restart cruising on Ports Holding Regional Director, Americas, understand the challenge of turning
the doorstep of the world’s largest cruise and CEO of Nassau Cruise Port Ltd. Prince George Wharf into a home port,
market is that the Nassau Cruise Port is “While home port service may not but also the rewards: “At its peak, vessels
managed by the world’s largest cruise port have been a part of the short-term strategy that homeport here will potentially bring
operator, Global Ports Holding Plc (GPH), for Nassau one year ago, we are more than thousands of new passengers to Nassau
in a contract that it won in August 2019. willing to speed up our plans and adapt to annually, which is not only significant
NCP began operations in October ensure the survival of the industry. for us but for other local industry players
2019 as part of a consortium comprising “This opportunity could not have been as well. This opening will generate an
The Virtual Summit of the Americas Issue April 2021 22