The Ports of Genoa and Savona-Vado have recorded a remarkable increase in passenger throughput during the first 9 months of this year, with ~4 million cruise and ferry passengers, marking a substantial 24% surge compared to the previous year. The expectation is to reach the 5-million passenger threshold by the end of 2023.
Notably, cruise traffic volumes from January to September amounted to 1.8 million passengers (Genoa 1,247,672; Savona 569,938), reflecting an impressive 78.7% growth over the corresponding period of the prior year. This period saw 351 ship calls and had a significant positive economic impact on the local communities.
The ferry sector also demonstrated robust performance, reporting nearly 2.4 million passengers across the Western Ligurian Sea ports.
The continuous rise in passenger preference for Genoa and Savona as cruise ports of call, along with the unwavering commitment of major global cruise lines to invest in these Ligurian ports, is a direct outcome of the strategic planning by the Western Ligurian Sea Port Authority. This planning strategy includes substantial infrastructure enhancements to upgrade quays and dredging operations to accommodate the new MSC "World Class" ultra-large vessels, capable of hosting almost 7,000 guests.
Furthermore, the Port Authority is allocating EUR 30 million in Genoa and Savona to implement ship-to-shore power supply facilities for cruise ships berthing at the passenger terminals.
On October 28 and 29, Genoa hosted 6 MSC cruise vessels, carrying a total of 31,000 passengers, further contributing to the record-breaking statistics already achieved in the cruise port for the month of October.