Global Ports Holding Plc, the world's largest independent cruise port operator, has signed a 10-year concession, with a 10-year extension option, with Prince Rupert Port Authority to manage cruise services at Prince Rupert Cruise Port in British Columbia, Canada, according to the company's release.
Prince Rupert Cruise Port is GPH's first cruise port in North America. Prince Rupert Cruise Port is located at the heart of the British Columbian cruise port market, just 40 miles from Alaska, one of the largest cruise markets in the world and ideally placed for cruise itineraries to and from the key homeports in the region, including Seattle and Vancouver.
Prince Rupert Cruise Port welcomed c41,000 cruise passengers in 2022. Current expectations are that for the 2023 cruise season passenger volumes will rise to close to 80,000 and continue growing.
Prince Rupert Cruise Port has the infrastructure and capability to handle larger ships and welcome a significant increase in passenger volumes. As part of the agreement and using its global expertise and know-how, GPH will work closely with local stakeholders to develop & mindfully curate immersive programs spotlighting local heritage, culture, gastronomy & the highly diverse plant, animal, and marine life of the Great Bear Rainforest, making Prince Rupert a must-visit cruise destination.
An important part of the effort to provide more excursion alternatives, GPH has added industry veteran, Kevin D’Costa to the team. Kevin’s focus will be to assist local operators in developing an array of exciting new alternatives for cruise guests while maintaining the high level of service provided to the cruise lines themselves.
A culturally rich and diverse community with a long history of Coast Ts’msyen habitation, Prince Rupert is the only municipality situated in the Great Bear Rainforest, the largest coastal temperate rainforest in the world.