Dammam port greets first cruise

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia recently welcomed the first cruise ship to Dammam’s King Abdulaziz Port, MSC World Europa.

The Saudi Red Sea Authority, The Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani), and Cruise Saudi recently welcomed the first cruise ship to Dammam’s King Abdulaziz Port, MSC

World Europa. Saudi Red Sea Authority facilitated regulatory arrangements to ensure the arrival of MSC World Europa, as the regulator that enables the private sector to practice marine and maritime activities in collaboration with Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mawani, Saudi Tourism Authority and Saudi Cruise to resolve all challenges to attract investment and highlight the rich coastal tourism in Saudi Arabia.The Saudi Red Sea Authority, which enables the private sector to practice marine and maritime activities in collaboration with the Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mawani, Saudi Tourism Authority and Saudi Cruise to resolve challenges, attract investment and highlight the rich coastal tourism in Saudi Arabia, facilitated regulatory arrangements to ensure the arrival of MSC World Europa.

Throughout the current season of Cruise Saudi, the ship will make weekly calls at King Abdulaziz Port on its seven-day cruise round trip. The itinerary also includes the ports of Doha – where it home ported during November and December last year hosting football fans – Dubai and Abu Dhabi. These visits are in line with Cruise Saudi’s efforts of developing world-class port’s infrastructure to welcome global cruise ships and passengers to explore the country’s diverse offering – by working in conjunction with Saudi Arabia’s Port Authority, Mawani. The occasion was celebrated with the traditional Plaque & Key Exchange Ceremony on board MSC World Europa, attended by representatives of Cruise Saudi, Mawani, and the key authorities whose efforts and cooperation drove this milestone, including Saudi Red Sea Authority, and Zakat, Tax & Customs Authority, as well as the ship officials, including Captain of the vessel Marco Massa.

Lars Clasen, CEO, Cruise Saudi, commented: “As we welcome the first cruise ship and first group of passengers to King Abdulaziz Port, we open a new and important gateway connecting Saudi Arabia to the rest of the world – via the Arabian Gulf. Cruise Saudi was established to develop and create the cruise industry in the country and welcome tourists to explore the unique and rich Saudi history, heritage, culture and offering. And this moment marks another step toward our goal of establishing Saudi Arabia as a premier regional and global cruising destination.”

Cruise Saudi offers passengers a range of shore excursions in the Eastern Province. Mohammed Asiri, Acting CEO, Saudi Red Sea Authority, comments: “It is our absolute pleasure to participate and cooperate with our partners in the marine tourism sector to make history in Saudi Arabia, while working on developing regulatory arrangements for the navigational and coastal activities of the Red Sea, the opportunity came to have MSC cruise ship hotels for football fans from which best practices can be derived, and measuring the experience of tourists to apply this to the Red Sea during the upcoming seasons, where the organisational and procedural challenges were analyzed early and started to be addressed with our colleagues.”