Construction works will soon kick off at the site of the second terminal building for cruise passengers.
The two-storey 3,700 m2-big facility, to be erected at the expense of €9.0m, is to serve its first guests during the coming cruise season.
The building will have a gangway, leading the passengers directly to their ships. Luggage will be handled on the ground floor, while check-in and passenger areas will be located at the top floor.
Up to now, two cruise ships were handled simultaneously at Ostseekai's single building terminal. In the future, there will be a dedicated building for each vessel. The second building is going to be built on the northern side of the existing terminal, forming a V-shaped ensemble. "One terminal for each berth means optimum service for shipping companies and passengers alike. We adapt our capacities to the increasing number of passengers and the ever growing size of the ships," Dr Dirk Claus, Managing Director, the Port of Kiel, commented in this regard.
Dr Ulf Kämpfer, Lord Mayor of the State Capital City of Kiel, said on the occasion, "May the new terminal be a place of anticipation of the cruise to be started for any passenger. It will provide first class handling quality and strengthen Kiel's position in this contested market at the same time."
"A high-class architecture was important to us as this terminal will be the first and also the last point of contact with Kiel for many passengers. At the same time, we also wanted to take the people to the waterfront and enable them to experience the unique location of the State Capital City. The panorama terrace is the key: direct access to the waterfront with due regard to all the safety regulations of the port," Doris Grondke, Town Councillor for Urban Development of the State Capital City of Kiel, added.
Photo: Port of Kiel/Stephen Gergs