The port of Taranto celebrates its 9th Maiden Call of 2022

PORTO OF TARANTO, 27 JUNE 2022  - Yesterday (26 June 2022) the elegant Mein Schiff Herz cruise ship arrived in the port of Taranto, moored at the San Cataldo quay since early morning. The ship, owned by the long-standing, Hamburg-based German tour operator TUI, was the last of the fleet to return to service in April.

Approximately 262 metres long, Mein Schiff Herz has 14 decks, 12,000 square metres of outdoor spaces and a unique livery characterised by the same blue framingthe ship's name, together with some German words recalling the ambiance of voyage (among them Erlebnisse, experiences, and Gelassenheit, serenity). The over 1,400 passengers, who are mostly German, are very interested in outdoor-excursions and sustainable mobility; in fact, at each stopover, including Taranto, TUI provides them with electric means of transport, including several pedelecs, for a more environment-friendly travel experience.

Cruise passengers on board the Mein Schiff Herz enjoyed a day discovering the beauty of the Apulian region, visiting Taranto, Manduria, Ostuni, Alberobello and exploring the Gulf of Taranto’s wildlife heritage through dolphin watching tours.

The passengers were welcomed with a spontaneous show by the historical reenactment group 'Cavalieri de li Terre Tarentine', which has been promoting the culture and the history of the area since 2004 and, for this occasion, set up an evocative welcome on the quayside featuring characters dressed in typical clothing from the Magna Graecia period.

This is Mein Schiff Herz's first stepover in the Ionian port city, where it will return in August for its second and final scheduled docking of the 2022 season. Today's call represents the ninth maiden call of the year in the port of Taranto, which has welcomed 23 cruise ship dockings since the end of March. The port of Taranto’s rise in popularity began in 2021, with the kick-off of terminal operations in May, thanks to the collaboration with the passenger services operator Taranto Cruise Port, part of the Global Ports Holding network. The first few months of 2022 registered an increase in passenger traffic and companies served compared to the previous year.

Celebrated on her arrival in Taranto by the tugboats' spectacular water salute, the Mein Schiff Herz was welcomed by a delegation consisting of the President of the Port Network Authority of the Ionian Sea, Sergio Prete, as well as the Deputy Mayor and Councillor of Taranto municipality, Fabrizio Manzulli, and Raffaella Del Prete, who is due to replace Antonio Di Monte at the helm of Taranto Cruise Port starting from July; they were then hosted on board by Captain Helge Wrage for the traditional crest exchange ceremony. In addition to a commemorative plaque, AdSP presented the captain with valuable volumes on the collections available in the National Archaeological Museum of Taranto and in the Diocesan Museum.

“We are glad to welcome the Mein Schiff Herz to Taranto and to host international travellers who are eager to discover our region and its beauty, which have remained secret for too long”, states President Sergio Prete. "Thanks to our tireless promotional work on the international stage, Taranto, the city of the two seas, is now on the map for cruise lines all over the world. Last week was particularly busy with the dockings of three different companies in the port of Taranto - MSC Cruises, P&O Cruises and TUI. Passenger traffic in the first part of the year registered an increase compared to 2021, with the gradual return to international travel resulting in a greater variety of cruise passengers arriving in Taranto, from all over Europe, as well as overseas. Creating positive synergy with institutions, in particular with the Municipality of Taranto, is fundamental when it comes to better managing and coordinating the reception of an increasing number of 'sea travellers' from a sustainable perspective. Cruise tourism is a sector that has a strong economic impact and we hope that this upward trend will continue into the second half of the year.”

"We welcome TUI Cruises with open arms and are glad that the largest company in the German market has finally made a stop in Taranto," says Stephen Xuereb, president of Taranto Cruise Port. "We hope that the beauty of the area, the colourful Magna-Graecia-style welcome we organised and the operational capabilities of Taranto Cruise Port will convince the company to include our port in its future itineraries. TUI Cruises is one of the new names of 2022, a year full of novelties and one that has already been characterised by important numbers in terms of passengers, calls and Cruise Lines represented. This is undoubtedly the fruit of the constant promotional labour carried out by the entire port cluster in synergy with local authorities - a productive collaboration to be cherished and developed, especially in view of the upcoming challenges heralded by the already promising passenger numbers in the coming seasons."