Le Havre's homeport aspirations move one step closer

Le Havre has started building new turnaround facilities catering for up to 500 passengers at the existing cruise terminal.

The project will be completed in March at a cost of €1m. Le Havre, which can handle any size ship, developed first as a transit port and gateway to Paris and is now hoping to expand cruise business by adding turnarounds. Costa Cruises trialed partial turnarounds in September on Costa Atlantica and Costa Mediterranea.

Yesterday Royal Caribbean International's Independence of the Seas made her inaugural call. Passengers and crew were provided with the usual terminal facilities including internet, telephone and shops in a nearby building which has been renovated to act as a temporary terminal whilst the cruise facility is being upgraded and expanded, Valerie Dubuc, cruise director of Le Havre Tourist Office, informed Seatrade Insider.

The tourist office has been actively promoting the cruise sector for 15 years and has seen the number of passengers increase five-fold in that time reaching 90,000-plus on 50 calls this year.

The port is now linked directly to Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport by TGV train which is key to Le Havre's homeporting aspirations, Dubuc noted.