Mein Schiff 3: Portsmouth International Port rejoices as largest ever ship enters harbour

TUI cruise ship Mein Schiff 3 made her way into Portsmouth harbour this morning. Ever since she passed The Round Tower at approximately 5.30am, onlookers have been snapping pictures and recording drone footage of the vessel in all her glory.

Measuring 293.3m in length and weighing 99,536 in gross tonnage, Mein Schiff 3 is officially the largest ship ever to grave the port. Mike Sellers Portsmouth International Port's director said: ‘We've seen many major milestones in our ambitions to grow the reputation of Portsmouth International Port and this TUI call marks another.

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‘The investment in extending our berth to accommodate larger vessels through to promoting the city's reputation as a destination has seen cruise activity grow year on year. We outlined in our Masterplan where we want to be in the future, with a focus on sustainable innovation and working with partners who share our vision.

‘It's fantastic to see real evidence of our plans taking shape and with more positive news to share over the coming months shows Portsmouth's position as a leading marine and maritime city.’ Mein Schiff is carrying 2400 mainly German speakers onboard. Guests have been exploring the city since the vessel’s arrival at 6.30am. A delegation from Shaping Portsmouth welcomed passengers when they stepped ashore.

Portsmouth International Port has been growing from strength to strength – becoming a hub for cruise visits and calls. A new passenger ferry terminal is taking shape after £11.25m in government levelling-up funding was secured. It’s due to be completed this summer.

The port is targeting more than 200 cruise calls within the next three years as part of its ‘masterplan’. This year, 75 cruise visits are expected. Councillor Gerald Vernon-Jackson, Portsmouth City Council's cabinet member responsible for the port said: ‘Today's arrival is hugely positive for the city and another step forward in Portsmouth's plans to become a world class destination for cruise.

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‘With the multi-million carbon neutral terminal extension due to open this summer means we're offering bespoke facilities for our visitors to the port and the wider city. As a council owned port its success has an impact on the contribution to essential services, so achievements like today's impressive cruise call has wide-ranging benefits for the whole city, with each visit estimated to bring £1.5m in the local economy.’

Passenger operations manager, Andrew Williamson, added: ‘We've been working hard over the last few years listening to the industry and creating facilities that are required to become a leading cruise port, which meets our focus on the small to medium sized, boutique, luxury, expedition market. Investing in our infrastructure has been essential and we're now in a position where we can accommodate larger vessels in the bracket of 300m on our primary berth, in addition we can look after smaller vessels on multiple berths.

‘Portsmouth lends itself effortlessly to the cruise market, from world-class attractions, to a major sheltered harbour close to the main shipping channels, making the city an appealing option for lines. Our approach is to set the bar high for passengers from the start of their adventure.’