MedCruise, the Association of Mediterranean Cruise Ports, held its 69th General Assembly in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, bringing together members to review the organisation’s activities, governance and future development.
The meeting was the second MedCruise General Assembly of 2026, following the 68th assembly in Palermo in June, and took place as the association marked its 30th anniversary.
During the internal matters session, members of the MedCruise Board of Directors presented updates on their respective areas of responsibility, outlining work completed since the previous assembly and priorities for the coming period. The discussions covered the association’s range of activities and ongoing initiatives involving its membership.
One of the main outcomes was the unanimous approval of 16 amendments to the MedCruise Constitution. The changes were intended to update the organisation’s governance framework and align it with its current activities, priorities and operating practices.
The amendments cover areas including modernised communication methods, more inclusive and gender-neutral language, increased member participation and reporting, and a stronger focus on sustainability and local communities. Organisational changes were also introduced to support the association’s governance and operations.
The assembly unanimously approved the inclusion of sustainability as an explicit objective of MedCruise, incorporating its economic, social and environmental dimensions. The revised objective places particular emphasis on supporting local communities, strengthening relationships between ports and cities, and promoting cruise development that contributes to the long-term interests of destinations.
MedCruise also expanded its membership with the admission of 11 new members. Marmaris Cruise Port in Türkiye joined as a Regular Member, while 10 organisations were admitted as Associate Members: Compagnie Commerciale Charbonnière et Maritime (CCCM) in Morocco, AKS Advisory in Italy, Worms–Medacruise in France, SeaCras in Croatia, Suardiaz and Lantimar Group in Spain, Petrol Ofisi in Türkiye, Ravenna Civitas Cruise Port in Italy, Shorelink Iberia in Spain and Istanbul Shipping in Türkiye.
The new members add further ports, companies and industry stakeholders to MedCruise’s network, broadening the expertise and areas of cooperation represented within the association.
MedCruise President Theodora Riga said the constitutional changes provided the association with an updated framework for its future work. She also highlighted the inclusion of economic, social and environmental sustainability as explicit principles within the organisation’s Constitution and thanked the Port of Las Palmas for hosting the assembly.
The 69th General Assembly concluded with MedCruise reaffirming its focus on cooperation among members, continued development of its governance and services, and representation of the interests of cruise ports and industry stakeholders across the Mediterranean and adjoining seas.
The association will hold its 70th General Assembly in Istanbul.