Robert Courts MP unveiled a plaque and formally named and opened the £55 million Horizon Cruise Terminal during an event on Wednesday (15 September).
It was hosted by the port’s regional director Alastair Welch and attended by MSC Cruises’ managing director Antonio Paradiso and Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ senior vice president and managing director, EMEA, Graham Sadler.
The terminal saw its first ship and guests in July and has since welcomed more 75,000 passengers.
The facility is fitted with shore power, which will enable ships with the right onboard connectivity to "plug in" once it is commissioned later this year.
Courts said "we need to ensure" that the infrastructure is in place to support the shift to cleaner ships.
"The terminal shows how this can be done," he added. "Such innovation will help the sector to build back greener and reduce emissions by providing state-of-the-art green shore power connectivity for cruises here in the UK."
