UK’s South West coast attracting increasing number of ships

This is a substantial increase on the 45 cruise calls that visited the area when DSW was first launched in 2002.

With both Portland and the Isles of Scilly looking forward to record breaking years for both the size and number of cruise ships, confidence and investment in the region’s ports has grown.

Portland Port’s cruise berth extension will be completed in time for the 2017 cruise season, enabling the handling of larger cruise ships.

Poole Harbour has announced a £10m cruise berth extension to be completed later this year which will provide alongside accommodation for cruise ships up to 220mtr in length.

DSW chair Ian McQuade from Portland Port commented, 'the investment in a new berth extension enables us to handle ships in excess of 340mtr LOA, putting us in a very unique group of ports along the English Channel that continue to serve an ever increasing range of cruise line customers.'

There are also further investment plans for two new attractions for the region. Plymouth’s dynamic new History Centre will transform its museum and art gallery with a £14.8m grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund and Ilfracombe is investing in a new purpose built Watersports Centre which will include a teaching space and café.

The Isles of Scilly, a tiny archipelago off the coast of Cornwall is set to welcome 70 cruise ships between April and September. Big draws are Tresco Abbey Garden which boasts some 20,000 species of sub-tropical plants, sea safaris around the islands for bird and seal watching and coastal walks

Mike Reynolds from ABP Plymouth, one of the founding members of DSW and now it’s vc commented, 'the UK is becoming increasingly popular as a cruise destination and it is fantastic to see such substantial growth in the South West as cruise lines continue to recognise the many diverse and unique attractions that our region has to offer.'

DSW is a marketing partnership bringing together ten ports: Dartmouth, Flamouth, Fowey, Ilfracombe, Isle of Scilly, Lyme Regis, Penzance, Plymouth, Poole and Portland, located across Cornwall, Devon and Dorset.

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