A HIGHLAND port is looking forward to a record year as it brings more cruise ships and passengers to the area than ever before.
An estimated 142,000 will come into the Port of Cromarty Firth at Invergordon this year on 91 liners – the highest number on record – equating to a 45 per cent increase in passengers and 44 per cent increase in ships.
The port expects that passengers will boost the local economy by around £14 million, contributing to tourist attractions across the Highlands, including the Castle of Mey, Castle Stuart, Urquhart Castle, Glenmorangie Distillery, Inverness and the Strathspey Steam Railway.
Visitor activity is also helping Invergordon become a tourist destination in its own right, with its museum, the town’s famous murals and a thriving arts and crafts scene.
This year’s first cruise ship will be the IDAvita on April 12, carrying 1200 passengers. The cruise season will finish later than usual with the Black Watch vessel giving its 800 passengers a taste of winter in the Highlands on December 3.
Captain Iain Dunderdale, the port’s cruise manager, said: “We have been seeing a steady increase in the number of cruise passengers visiting Invergordon over the years, but 2017 looks like it is going to be extraordinary.
“Some of the world’s largest cruise ships will be coming into the port this year, taking advantage of the deep water we have to offer. “This is really good news for businesses across the Highlands and I look forward to welcoming new and returning vessels into the port over the coming months.
“We are looking forward to welcoming eight new cruise ships this year, including MSC Cruises’ MSC Preziosa, which will carry 3500 passengers and Cruise and Maritime Voyages’ new flagship Columbus, which will carry 1750 passengers.”
Bob Buskie, chief executive of the Port of Cromarty Firth, added: “The cruise sector has a crucial role to play in the Cromarty Firth area, supporting the creation of local jobs in a number of areas, including tour guides, shipping agents, ground handling staff, transport providers, pipers, and the employees of local distilleries, golf clubs and the hospitality industry.
“This year, we also have plans to help more local businesses and attractions tailor what they do to fit cruise lines and their passengers. We held a workshop on February 16 in Inverness and introduced over 30 different tourist destinations and visitor attractions to the industry.”
Cromarty Firth is an important area for marine and other wildlife, including a high density of bottlenose dolphins – another major tourist attraction for the area – along with minke whales and porpoises. The port authority has submitted applications to start crude oil transfers between ships in the firth, but a petition opposing the plans has attracted more than 100,000 signatories, and the subject is to be the subject of a debate at Holyrood.
Pressure group Cromarty Rising previously said that at least one major tourist concern on the Moray coast had expressed concern about “rusting tankers which visibly damage the Moray Firth”, when asked about the oil transfers plan, which has also attracted celebrity opposition in the form of Ian Rankin, creator of the irascible cop Rebus.
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