Thursday, April 18, 2024 - 13:39 by ce-press
Olden and Maloy may be just two hours apart by road (four hours by sea) but they offer two entirely different experiences for just one port arrival fee.
With slow steaming becoming more popular, cruiselines can offer passengers both coastal and fjord shore experiences, with the added benefit of both ports gearing up for onshore power.
Maloy only entered the cruise market in 2022 but this year will receive 80,000 passengers while Olden welcomes 340,000 on total calls for the two ports together coming to 150. Next year the numbers are 130,000, 355,000 and180 respectively.
Solve Oldeide, assisting harbour master Port of Nordfjord, says Olden’s attempts to limit its call and passenger numbers in order to protect the environment - turning down 30 calls last year - have been frustrated by cruiselines simply booking nearby ports. Hence offering Maloy as an alternative/additional call could be advantageous to the lines.
Maloy is already well versed in catering to numbers. Last year the port accommodated two ships - MSC Eurasia and AIDAperla - on one day, July 27. Almost 92% of the passengers are handled through Maloy Adventure, which was set up last year to provide ground handling, but is now expanding into Olden and a new destination south of Bergen in 2024.
The ports have each added a 200t bollard at the cost of Nkr 1.5 million (€0.13 million), replacing those of 50t, at the request of Carnival UK (Olden) and MSC Cruises (Maloy).
Olden will have onshore power installed in July 2026 (12mW) at a cost of NKr 20 million and Maloy in June 2026 (8mW). In addition Olden is looking into the feasibility of installing an extra pier.
