ATLANTIC ALLIANCE presents the “iPort”

Premiere at the Seatrade Europe conference and exhibition in Hamburg.

Hamburg, 15th of September 2009 - The "ATLANTIC ALLIANCE", a joint marketing partnership of Western Europe's major cruise ports, has developed a revolutionary new passenger information system: the "iPort". The pillar, with an attractive stainless steel casing, houses a large touch screen monitor which passengers can use to access important information before going ashore. The "iPort" will be making its debut at the "Seatrade Europe - Cruise, Ferry, Rivercruise & Superyacht Convention" conference and exhibition, taking place in Hamburg from 15th to 17th September.

"The idea behind the development of the ‘iPort' was not just to provide cruise passengers with information before going ashore but also to further extend the uniform look of the ‘ATLANTIC ALLIANCE' at the 17 member ports stretching from Portugal to Germany," explains Nadine Palatz who, as Secretary of the organisation, is responsible for managing the project. The attractive, slim-line information pillar will thus be the focus of the ‘ATLANTIC ALLIANCE' exhibition presentation on stand no. 112 at the Seatrade Europe - quite literally . "With the exception of the design for the stand's back wall we have decided not to have any classic exhibition elements. As a result, stand visitors will automatically concentrate their attention on our ‘iPort'," continues Palatz. The member ports' marketing executives will also be seeing the ‘iPort' live in action for the first time at the Seatrade Europe and Palatz is, of course, also eager to hear the cruise lines and tour operators' feedback.

Data will be supplied centrally from Hamburg
How does the information system work? In the past when passengers arrived in a port ideally they found a wide range of information brochures awaiting them on the quay or in the terminal or, in the worst case, nothing at all. In future they will find a clearly visible, two-metre high information pillar.

 Extensive information can be accessed at the touch of finger on the large, high-contrast flat screen measuring over one metre from corner to corner - and not just about the port itself, but also about all the other partner ports. "To make it as easy as possible for our members to keep information up-to-date we are able to enter all data centrally in Hamburg before transmitting it to the relevant terminals via WLAN," explains Palatz. Visitors can thus, for example, access city maps or videos showing the shortest route to the main attractions, shopping areas or museums. Furthermore, there is also continuously updated information on events in the port being visited, which is provided from the ATLANTIC ALLIANCE website - the range of information which can be provided is infinite.

"To make using the pillar as easy as possible for cruise guests we have based the user interface design similar to the features of an iPhone mobile phone - which is also where we got the idea for the ‘iPort' name." Another advantage which should ensure rapid acceptance of the information system is the fact that the user interface is identical in all ports, thus making for high recognition value on the part of users.
In addition to all the key tourist information on the city the prototype on display in Hamburg will also provide a floor plan of the Seatrade exhibition hall with references to the stands of the ATLANTIC ALLIANCE member ports.

Despite the new system passengers will, in future, however not have to go without printed information: the ‘iPorts' are designed first and foremost as an addition to printed information - and are most definitely not planned to replace the personal service on offer at the cruise terminals.