"Rich maritime heritage": Portsmouth port wins prestigious award as site brings millions of pounds to city
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The city’s port has received a prestigious award for the third year in a row while bringing in millions of pounds in profit.
Officials in Portsmouth International Port has been crowned as the best port for the third year in a row at the prestigious cruise Wave Awards. The site has been recognised for its “exceptional commitment to increasing local engagement and providing a premium guest experience”.
Leader of Portsmouth City Council, Cllr Steve Pitt, said: “Portsmouth has a rich maritime heritage and we take a lot of pride in our city owned port. A great deal of investment has been put in over recent years which has been rewarded, with the number of cruise calls rapidly growing each year.
“The port continues to put the city first, working with partners to keep cruise tourism local. Their brilliant ambassador scheme has allowed more people living in the city to work with the port to help visitors plan and make the most of their time in Portsmouth. The return of their highly anticipated community open day next year is a key event in the city’s events calendar and will help to inspire the next generation of the maritime industry.”
Portsmouth port has won the accolade for the third year in a row since entering the awards in 2023. The municipal sites is predicted to boost local authority’s finances by £10.3m this year. Much of this is due to an expanded cruise schedule, with a record 94 vessels due to visit the city this year. These include ships from luxury brands such as Virgin Voyages and Ritz-Carlton.
Andrew Williamson, the port’s head of cruise and ferry, said: “I am so proud to have picked up this award on behalf of the port for the third year in a row. We pride ourselves on the premium service we deliver to passengers and hope to create a memorable experience for every guest who travels through our port.
"This is a huge team effort, from our established relationship with cruise lines down to our cruise ambassadors on the quayside who welcome guests to our brilliant city. To be recognised by the Wave Awards for a third year in a row is a complete honour and one we don’t take lightly.”