Honfleur (France) has just ~6000 inhabitants but receives ~5,2 million visitors per year, including those from both ocean cruisers and riverboats.
Since 2013, when Port Honfleur's cruise terminal (at Quai en Seine #3) was inaugurated, visits have increased on a regular basis, reaching 60 ship calls and ~42000 tourists in 2019.
Despite COVID recovery still taking place, there are a total of 31 calls booked for 2023 including from Windstar which is visiting for the first time. 40 are already scheduled for 2024.
Ships up to 260 m in length with a 9-m draught can come alongside the main quay #3. Those up to 180 m and 9-m draught are on the secondary quay #1.
The plan is Port Honfleur to equip the terminal quay with shore power capability.
According to Jerome Radanovic, cruise promotion Honfleur Terre d’Estuaire, given their activity and the size of the ships they received, the solution chosen was a mobile unit.
The EUR 7 million investment is primarily for cruise ships but could extend to commercial vessels, as well. The project is carried out by Haropa Port, providing the majority of the financing and assisted by the French government, the port town, and the tourist office of Honfleur.
SH Diana, Silver Dawn, and Ocean Odyssey will make maiden calls to Honfleur this summer.