Ever highest passengers travel through Helsinki port

The number of international cruise ship passengers travelled through Helsinki Port rose to an all-time record this year, said a press release issued by the port authority on Monday.

A total of 478,000 foreign passengers travelled through the port so far this year. The number was 409,000 during the stipulated period in the year 2016 while the it was 436,500 in 2015.

The largest groups this year came from North America (26%), Germany (25%), the United Kingdom (just under 10%), Canada (almost 6%), and Spain (a little under 5%).

‘This is quite a positive development,’ said Eeva Hietanen, Communications Manager at the Port of Helsinki, adding, ‘at the moment, it looks like 2018 will also be a busy cruise year.’

A new cruise ship quay in Hernesaari will be completed towards the end of 2018, and it is intended to be used in the 2019 season.

There were a total of 266 cruise ship visits, which is not by any means a new record, but it does show that the sizes and passenger capacities of ships are increasing.