Greenock (Glasgow, Scotland)
Cruise Port schedule, live map, terminals, news
Region
Ireland - UK - British Isles
Local Time
2021-03-03 15:17
4.7°C
1.5 m/s
31 °F / -0 °C
Greenock is a major port city located at the entrance to Firth of Clyde on Scotland's western coast. The port (officially Clydeport) is also the cruise port to Glasgow - Scotland's largest city, with population over 600,000 (metro 2,3 million). Greenock City has population around 50,000. It was originally established as a herring fishing port, which in the 19th-20th centuries developed shipbuilding industry.
The Peel Ports-managed Clydeport has a deepwater quay, no tidal or lock restrictions, and is accessible the whole year-round to ships of all sizes. Cruise port's statistical data shows it handled just 20,253 passengers in 2007. In 2014, their number was 92,678.
On July 12, 2015, UK’s biggest passenger liner MV Britannia (P&O Cruises UK) docked in Port Greenock as part of a 12-day British Isles itinerary (visiting ports in Ireland, Channel Islands and the UK). The ship berthed at Ocean Terminal at 5 pm, with around 3600 passengers. Its arrival marked a record year for the cruise port, becoming Scotland's first to handle over 100,000 cruisers in a single year (14% increase over 2014). In 2015, Clydeport received a total of 56 cruise ship calls and handled 108,866 passengers. It was estimated that each cruise tourist contributed ~GBP 80 to the local economy. The 108,866 passengers in 2015 brought GBP 8,7 million (EUR 12,4 million) to the local economy.
Port Greenock works in partnership with Inverclyde Tourist Group (local tour operator) greeting disembarking passengers and offering tour and travel information at the cruise terminal. The memorable dockside experience is also marked by Glasgow's cow mascot Hamish.
Inverclyde Tourist Group organizes unique land tours guided by local knowledgeable volunteers. Each tour (with duration about 2 hours) starts and ends at Greenock Ocean Terminal. The company offers three different tours (starting from 9:15 am onwards) by using small coaches. Bookings can be made through the company's website and also at the cruise terminal (via its tartan-clad volunteers or call at its ticket desk at the terminal). The 3 tour options include Greenock (city tour), Gourock (countryside scenic tour) and Port Glasgow and Newark Castle (shipbuilding and sugar manufacturing in Port Glasgow, and to Newark Castle / owned by Historic Scotland).
Clydeport is visited by a great number of cruise shipping lines, including Princess, RCI-Royal Caribbean, MSC, Cunard, P&O UK, Fred Olsen, Holland America, Disney (maiden call in 2015). Greenock is homeport to Hebridean Island Cruises (UK-based luxury travel company). Its ship (Hebridean Princess) has been chartered twice by HM Elizabeth II.
In April 2019, for 2 weeks in Clydeport were homeported 35 warships, 5 submarines and 59 aircraft (planes and helicopters) plus over 10,000 military personnel from 13 countries as part of a major NATO maritime training exercise. "Exercise Joint Warrior" was controlled and directed from HM Naval Base Clyde's Maritime Operations Centre and conducted along Scotland's west coast.
Greenock cruise terminal
Greenock cruise ship terminal (officially "Greenock Ocean Terminal") is owned by Peel Ports (UK's largest port operator). The facility features a waterfront walkway connecting the facility to the city center (approx 5-min easy walk). In early-2016, the cruise terminal was expanded by a GBP 14 million port development project.
The Esplanade offers spectacular views over River Clyde. Taxis at the cruise port are also available. The viewpoint at Lyle Hill features vistas of Argyll Hills, Gareloch, Holy Loch, Loch Long and Loch Goil, and a number of Munros on clear days.
From Port Greenock, Glasgow City can be reached by train (leaving every 20 min). Travel time (by road or rail) is 35 min. The nearest railway station is at around 10-min walking distance. Glasgow is an interesting tour destination for cruisers and is located just at 35-min drive distance from the Greenock port. The city is compact and easily walkable. It offers a true taste of Scotland and boasts a range of popular attractions and architecture.
- Greenock port's cruise terminal is named "Greenock Ocean Terminal". Its building has tourist information areas, restrooms, currency exchange, several vendors. The local tour company Inverclyde had a dedicated seating area in the middle where tour information and maps are provided. There passengers can also sign up for the complimentary bus tours. These tours are lead by local volunteers, and free of charge.
- Traditionally, after docking, at the terminal cruise ship tourists are greeted by bagpipers performing popular tunes.
- Terminal's address is "Greenock Ocean Terminal, Patrick Street, Greenock, PA16 8UU".
- Terminal's phone number is +44 (0) 1475 726 171.
Among the visiting vessels in 2015 was RMS Queen Mary 2 as part of Cunard Line's 175th-anniversary celebrations. The liner docked at Greenock Ocean Terminal on May 21. To mark its arrival, terminal's operator Peel Ports commissioned a commemorative tartan, which was officially presented to Cunard at the gala dinner and Captain's cocktail reception onboard.
During summer, from both Greenock and Glasgow are offered regularly scheduled Scottish cruises on PS Waverley - world's oldest (only one) original and still operational paddle-wheel steamship.
(NEW) Peel Ports Greenock Ocean Cruise Terminal
In July 2019 was proposed a GBP 19,193 million "Greenock Ocean Terminal" project jointly-funded by Greenock City and Peel Ports - subsidiary of The Peel Group (fka Peel Holdings) - Greater Manchester-headquartered infrastructure, transport and real estate investment corporation (one of UK's largest investment companies) that owns several holdings (land/and property, transport/logistics, energy, retail, media).
For the new terminal, Glasgow (Inverclyde Council) approved funding of GBP 9,693 million (EUR 10,920 M) from city's overall GBP 1 billion annual budget. The balance is to be paid by Peel Ports (UK's largest seaport terminal operator company, GBP 8 million / EUR 8,93 M) and The George Wyllie Foundation (2012-founded non-profit) through Dunard Trust (GBP 1,5 million / EUR 1,67 M).
The port development project is scheduled for completion in summer 2020, with expected annual traffic ~150,000 pax/crew and estimated GBP 26 million in annual cruise spending ashore (passengers and crew).
The new berth has length 200 m (656 ft) and capacity to hande the world's largest passenger ships via a floating pontoon. The pontoon is made of four 1000-ton concrete caissons, pre-constructed at Inchgreen Drydock (Port Glasgow) then towed to the new passenger terminal and secured to piles driven into the seabed. At the new dock can berth vessels with max LOA length 340 m (1115 ft). The pontoons have height 5 m, width 8 m and length 44 m (2 structures) and 56 m (the other 2). The pontoons are of steel-reinforced concrete filled with polystyrene for buoyancy.
The arriving cruise tourists will disembark the ship onto the pontoon and then enter the modern terminal building.
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