UCL Holding eyes largest cruise operator in Russia
International transport group UCL Holding plans to merge three Russian tourist shipping companies Vodokhod, Vodokhod-Saint-Petersburg and Volga-Flot-Tour, to create a single operator under the brand name Vodokhod, the Group said.
The mentioned above companies are operating in the market of Moscow and St. Petersburg and the Volga region and are the largest cruise companies in the regions.
The reorganization is implemented to consolidate a cruise division of Volga-Balt Transport Holding (VBTH), majority owned by UCLH. The move will help optimize the management of assets and give more opportunities to raise the standards of quality of tourism services, the Group said in a statement.
The future operator Vodokhod’s fleet will include 26 four-deck cruise ships with accommodations for 250 tourists, 24 small passenger ships, including 11 passenger hydrofoils (Meteor), and 13 recreational boats. According to UCLH, Vodokhod will emerge as the largest river cruise company in Russia.
In 2012, Vodokhod’s passenger traffic is projected to exceed 700,000 people, including 139,000 - on cruise ships, 163,000 - on pleasure boats, and 406,000 - on high-speed crafts.
Dutch-registered Universal Cargo Logistics Holding (UCL Holding) is an international transportation holding comprising stevedoring companies of Sea Port of Saint-Petersburg and Universal Handling Complex in the North-West Russia; Tuapse and Taganrog ports in the South of the country; Volga Shipping, North-West Shipping and Western Shipping companies; as well as a number of shipbuilding, shipping and logistics assets.
VBTH owned Vodokhod Ltd. is a cruise shipping company transporting passengers in the North West and Central regions of Russia and providing cruise tours on the Black Sea.
In 2010, the UCL Holding’s cruise companies carried more than 645,000 passengers.