EXCLUSIVE: CTI chief highlights infrastructure gap as cruise ships outpace ports

Cruise passenger growth and increasingly large ships are putting pressure on port infrastructure, with marine capacity, shore power and the shoreside guest experience emerging as key areas for investment, according to Cruise Terminals International (CTI) chief executive Greg Lanter.

Lanter, who joined the cruise industry nine months ago after a career in the resort sector, said the rapid development of cruise ships had not been matched by infrastructure on shore.

“Everyone in the industry is clear that the ships have moved much faster than everything around them,” he said. “They offer an exceptional hospitality experience, enabled by exceptional operational capabilities. I often say that no resort in the world is capable of turning around 3,000 rooms in five hours.”

Lanter identified three investment priorities: marine infrastructure, shore power and the passenger experience from the terminal through to ground transportation.

“Ships are getting bigger, and ports need berths and marine works that can accommodate them,” he said. “That capacity is what will open up a wider range of geographies and itineraries to absorb the new ships and growing demand.”

Shore power

Shore power will also require significant investment as the cruise industry pursues its sustainability commitments, while terminals and landside infrastructure need to close what Lanter sees as the widest gap between the onboard and shoreside experience.

He said private investment could help ports address both capacity and environmental requirements, arguing that the commercial and sustainability cases for infrastructure were becoming increasingly aligned.

“No investor can commit to long-term infrastructure today without a strong sustainability commitment attached to it,” Lanter said. “Electrification is becoming a basic infrastructure requirement, a baseline expectation rather than an optional environmental upgrade.”

The different development cycles of ships and port infrastructure present another challenge. A new vessel can enter service within roughly three to four years, Lanter said, while a new berth or quay extension can take longer once permitting, environmental review, procurement and construction are included.

“Ports need to develop long-term views and leave room for new technologies, but also build a culture of organisational agility, so they can adapt their plans as things evolve on the ship side,” he said. “The ports that can adapt will gain market share.”

Lanter said CTI was applying this approach at Crown Bay, where landside design and contractor selection are progressing while pier authorisations are still being developed.

Sustainability

On sustainability, he said much of the technology required for more efficient cruise terminals was already commercially available. The biggest gains should begin with reducing energy consumption through architecture, insulation and building-management systems before considering energy generation.

“The first design decisions matter most: the way a terminal is designed makes a big difference to its energy consumption, at no additional cost,” he said.

CTI is targeting LEED Gold certification for its Ravenna terminal and LEED Platinum for its Barcelona terminal. Lanter highlighted Ravenna as a case study in combining infrastructure, sustainability and destination development.

The Ravenna Civitas Cruise Port at Porto Corsini will accommodate two ships, with three mobile passenger boarding bridges and shore-power capability. The project is being developed as a public-private partnership, with local architects, materials and art incorporated into the terminal.

Future focus

Looking ahead, Lanter expects the Mediterranean to be a major focus for cruise-port investment, while the Caribbean has further potential as cruise lines expand itineraries and destinations. He sees Asia-Pacific as a longer-term opportunity as domestic cruise markets develop.

Across all regions, however, he said successful projects would depend on strong cooperation between investors, authorities and local stakeholders.

“These projects, whether in the Americas, Europe and Africa, or Asia, are major pieces of infrastructure, which can only be achieved if all the stakeholders put their strength together,” Lanter said. “And we will happily be the catalyst of their success.”