Updated: Seven cruise ships in Grand Harbour

Grand Harbour was full of activity this morning, with seven cruise ships gracing its wharves, bringing 7,478 visitors.

Two ships, the Coral and Seven Seas Navigator, berthed at Boiler Wharf, the new spillover wharf adapted for such occasions.

The other ships, berthed at Valletta Waterfront are Deep Water Quay, were the Prisendam, Arion, Island Sky, the MSC Splendida and the MSC Musica, the latter two being the biggest of the seven.

The ships berthed at the Valletta Waterfront’s quays: Pinto 1 - 2, Pinto 3 and Pinto 4 – 5; on Deep Water Quay as well as on the recently inaugurated Boiler Wharf in Senglea.

John Portelli, CEO of Viset, operator of the cruise liner terminal, said that today’s operation proved that Viset was well-prepared to handle multi-vessel operations.

"Over the years, Viset has invested heavily in creating state-of-the-art terminal facilities to accommodate larger vessels and a staff complement capable of handling large amounts of guests simultaneously. The restoration of historic buildings also formed part of this project. The cooperation of all stakeholders both on portside and landside operations was instrumental in handling such a large number of passengers"

He said that the company was meeting every challenge to ensure that guests enjoy edan efficient, professional and courteous transfer to or from their ship, whether in terms of more efficient check-in, reduced embarkation times or improved baggage handling.

The all-time record for the port of Valletta in terms of ship numbers is eight ships in a single day. The busiest day in terms of guest numbers was registered on May 2, 2008, with six vessels in port, 12,729 guests and a total length on quay of 1.5 km.

www.vallettawaterfront.com