Molde saw a 54% rise in both passenger and call numbers this year compared to 2009. The Norwegian port recorded 42,000 passengers and 51 calls in 2010 compared with 27,144 and 33 respectively last year.
Meanwhile at Andalsnes (pictured) cruise calls numbered 33 and passengers 44,489 this year compared to 28 and 39,705 in 2009.
The Storkaia Pier in the centre of Molde is dedicated to cruiseships during the season. It has a length of 300m and depth of 8.5m. Ten minutes’ walk away is Moldegaard Pier which is 130m long and has a depth of 10.5m. Judith Merete Tangen of Molde & Romsdal Havn says, however, that both can accommodate ships up to 350m in length.
Anchorage is also available with a turning basin on 700m diameter. There is no passenger terminal but the port can handle 6,000 passengers at one time.
Meanwhile Andalsnes has one pier, Nato, dedicated to cruiseships. It has a length of 155m and a depth of 12m and is a few steps from the city centre. Anchorage is also available but Ms Tangen says the maximum size of cruiseship that can come alongside is 300m with a depth of 12m.
Again there is no passenger terminal but 4,500 passengers can be handled at once.
In both ports there are recycling facilities but no wastewater discharge facilities.
