Abu Dhabi Ports Company (ADPC) and Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority (TCAAbu Dhabi) today unveiled the design for the planned new Zayed Port cruise terminal in the UAE capital.

The design was unveiled at the Seatrade Med 2014 in Barcelona, Spain, one of Europe’s key cruise events.

Traditional Arabic ornaments, colours, and shapes combined with modern architectural elements define the new building’s distinctive style which celebrates the UAE’s cultural heritage and pays tribute to its long maritime history.

A particular eye-catcher is the building’s roof design which is a lattice-work, taking the UAE’s national tree - the Ghaf  - as inspiration.  Wooden beams inside the building take inspiration from the UAE’s traditional dhow sailing vessels.

Covering 8,000 sq m, the new building will include all key passenger facilities, as well as a mezzanine level with souvenir shops, restaurants, office facilities and waiting areas for cruise staff. It will feature tourist information services and passport border control counters.

Ground clearance work for the new terminal, which will be capable of handling three cruise vessels simultaneously, has already begun. The project is sexpected to be completed in 2016.

Earlier this year, the UAE announced a new multiple entry visa which will make tourist travel between the UAE and neighbouring countries significantly easier.  The new multi-entry visa had been on cruise lines' ‘wish-list’ for some time as it will help the logistics when planning itineraries around the Gulf region.

“ADPC and its partners TCA Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Oman established ‘Cruise Arabia’ at the end of 2013, as an initiative which  promotes the Gulf region as an attractive tourist destination and brings the partners together to combine forces to make the cruising experience for tourists and cruise staff as comfortable as possible," said Capt Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, CEO of ADPC.

 “Our investment in a larger higher quality cruise terminal building recognises the fact that Abu Dhabi now features on a growing number of itineraries. This makes us very proud and keen to ensure that this important industry is fully catered for and encouraged,” he said.

“It is a statement of just how serious Abu Dhabi is about cruise tourism,” said Sultan Al Dhaheri, acting executive director tourism, TCA Abu Dhabi. “For our part we are stepping up promotion of this particular industry sector with the imminent launch of a dedicated cruise tourism section on our visitabudhabi.ae online destination resource and the creation of highly differentiated shore excursions which lift the value of the Arabian Gulf cruise proposition with Abu Dhabi as both a home port and port-of-call.”

Abu Dhabi’s cruise passenger arrivals have increased five-fold since the sector began in the emirate in 2007 with anticipated arrivals this season reaching 200,000 passengers from 95 vessel calls. - TradeArabia News Service