Port of Barrow to welcome the largest cruise vessel to call at the port
ABP’s Port of Barrow is preparing to welcome the largest cruise vessel ever to call at the port, the company said in its press release.
When the MS Braemar calls at the port this Friday, it will be the second cruise to stop at Barrow in the last two months. The Fred. Olsen Cruise vessel is 196m in length and can accommodate over 900 passengers, making it the largest cruise ship to visit since the port’s first cruise call in 1995.
While cruise ships are today not a regular sight at the Port of Barrow, the port has a long association with the industry dating back 100 years, including when the then Vickers-Armstrongs shipyard built the ‘Strath’ Class Liners for the Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Company (P&O) in the 1930s.
Port Manager Paul Jervis said: “The Port of Barrow is best known today for its role as a base for manufacturing submarines.
“However, the arrival of MS Braemar, following the visit of the Saga Pearl II last month shows that the port is capable of handling a wide variety of vessels for different customers.
“The benefit of hosting cruise vessels here at Barrow is that we are able to showcase Barrow and the Lake District area to tourists from all over the UK and the world. It boosts the region’s profile and tourist numbers, and will provide economic benefit to the local communities.
“The area has a lot of attractions to entice cruise companies and their passengers. With the port well equipped to handle cruise calls, we hope to see more cruise ships at Barrow in the future.”
MS Braemar is due to arrive in Barrow at 6:30am on Friday, before departing at 7:00pm. Scheduled shore excursions include tours of the Lake District and free shuttle buses will be available to take passengers to local attractions like the Dock Museum and Furness Abbey.