SOUTH AFRICA. The KwaZulu Cruise Terminal Consortium, in which MSC Cruises has a 70% stake, broke ground on the construction of a new cruise terminal in Durban this month in partnership with state-owned Transnet National Ports Authority.
The 4,500sq m building will transform the port experience for cruise passengers with a contemporary feel, a retail offer, improved energy efficiency, as well as a flexible space for conferences and events. The first phase is expected to be operational by January 2021.
“This multi-user terminal will make Durban an even more desirable destination for cruise ships from all over the world,” said MSC Cruises South Africa Managing Director Ross Volk. “It will substantially boost tourism numbers as well as help create local jobs and lead to local supplier development.”
Tying in with the terminal development, MSC Cruises expects to deploy two ships in South Africa for next winter’s 2020-2021 cruise season. MSC Opera (Lirica Class) will homeport in Cape Town and MSC Musica (Musica Class) in Durban. This will mark the first time that two different classes of MSC Cruises’ ships will be deployed in South Africa simultaneously.
Volk commented: “The deployment of two classes of ship to South Africa for the local 2020/2021 season will allow us to meet more fully the growth in demand we have experienced over the past few years.” Together the ships will offer over 60 cruises next season serving alternate routes whose itineraries include stops in Mozambique and South Africa.
