Tourism. Port of St. Maarten attending Cruise Shipping Miami 2014
POINT BLANCHE, St. Maarten – Port of St. Maarten – Port of St. Maarten is attending Cruise Shipping Miami 2014, the 30th anniversary edition of the cruise industry’s premier annual event, set for March 10-13 at the Miami Beach Convention Center.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the St. Maarten Harbour Group of Companies has been invited to be a panelist on Monday morning for the session, “How Can Destinations and Ports Maximize the Benefit of Cruise Tourism?”
Mingo says the conference is very important for destinations such as St. Maarten, and the port will be looking keenly at the “State of the Global Cruise Industry,” a panel that will feature the chief executives of the world’s four largest cruise corporations.
In 2013 Cruise Shipping Miami attracted 93 new exhibitors; over 40 per cent of exhibitors closed business during the show; 11,000 attendees walked the show floor; over 900 exhibitors from 123 countries participated;
“The four executives will inform the Port of St. Maarten and others who will be attending the conference about the current state and future of the business.
“At the moment you have a crisis between Ukraine and Russia and this could impact cruise operations in the Black Sea that is serviced by Costa, MSC, Azamara and Crystal cruise lines. We may hear about how this will impact cruising in that part of the world, and will it result in those vessels being deployed elsewhere to other parts of the world due to the instability in that area.
“All in all, we are able to plan accordingly and in a strategic manner. The Port of St. Maarten does not sit by on its laurels. The Supervisory board, Management and staff are always thinking ahead so we can remain at the top as a premier cruise destination. This reflects positively on our economy and maintains and creates jobs,” CEO Mark Mingo said on Sunday.
One of the key speakers at the panel discussion will be Arnold Donald, Director of Carnival Corporation since 2001, and was named President and CEO of Carnival Corp. & plc in June 2013.
Richard Fain, has been Chairman and CEO of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. since 1988. The global cruise company owns six brands: Celebrity, Royal Caribbean International, Pullmantur, Azamara Club Cruises, CDF Croisieres de France, and the joint venture TUI Cruises.
Kevin Sheehan, has served as the CEO and president of Norwegian Cruise Line since 2008.
Pierfrancesco Vago, served as CEO of MSC Cruises overseeing the company’s operations from its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, from 2004 until he was named executive chairman in September 2013.
About St. Maarten Harbour Group of Companies
The St. Maarten Harbour Group of Companies comprises of 13 companies responsible for most of the country’s maritime activities. The operations of the Harbour Group can be summarized into four pillars of Cruise, Cargo, Yachting and Real Estate. The Dr. A.C. Wathey Cruise & Cargo facilities cater to over 1.7 million cruise passengers annually. The cargo facilities have led to a steady growth in containerized business making the island a hub for the North Eastern Caribbean where it concerns transshipment services. The port caters to the Giga yachts and vessels providing berthing and fueling services to this sector. The harbour group also owns and manages a wide range of commercial real estate across the country.
The Port of St. Maarten is a modern, well equipped and secure port facility that is operated and managed by a dedicated professional staff. Visit our website for further information www.portofstmaarten.com or call +1 721 542-8503 or 8504, email: buzz@portofstmaarten.com
