22.09.2014
Press Release
MEDCRUISE HQ TO REMAIN AT PPA UNTIL 2017
Barcelona took over the presidency, after a successful three years of Piraeus.
The MedCruise (Association of Mediterranean Cruise Ports) HQ to remain at the PPA headquarters for the next three years, 2014-17, was the first decision of the new President and the Board of Directors, elected by the Association during the General Assembly held at Barcelona.
Carla Salvado, representative from the Port of Barcelona, succeeds Mr. Stavros Hatzakos, Executive Director of PPA SA, for the presidency of the Association for the next three years.
All members of MedCruise expressed their thanks to Mr. St. Hatzakos for the important work that was accomplished during his tenure. Mr. Hatzakos will join the Board of MedCruise as honorary president, following a statutory change, which was unanimously accepted by the General Assembly of the Association.
The new Board that was elected, comprises of - representing the busiest cruise ports - Istanbul, Tenerife, Tunisia, Lisbon, Dubrovnik, the French Riviera, while from smaller ports in size were elected to the Board of MedCruise representatives of the ports of Odessa, Koper, Costa Brava, Portoferraio, Rijeka and Sibenik.
PPA SA, with its successful and enduring presence in the configuration of positions and policies for the cruise, remains the sole representative of the Greek port in the decision-making centers of Mediterranean cruise ports.
Apart from the headquarters of the Association, the responsibility of the Secretariat of MedCruise remains in Greek hands, as the new Board of Directors renewed the mandate of Aegean University professor Mr. Thanos Pallis as General Secretary of MedCruise.
As is known, MedCruise comprises of 70 members representing 101 cruise ports in the Mediterranean - Black Sea with a considerable share in the international cruise allocation, since the Mediterranean is the second destination after the Caribbean, occupying 20% of global traffic.
As the President and CEO of PPA SA Mr. Giorgos Anomeritis commented in Barcelona: “The Mediterranean, despite the emerging new markets, can showcase along with its beauty, the culture and history of its countries. Especially in the Aegean, sea of safety and peace, the PPA is the main port-hub of the Eastern Mediterranean. In October, like every year, we will have a special meeting to be held in the PPA, concerning cruise policies for the next five years, based on the trends and experiences acquired at Seatrade and MedCruise in Barcelona.”
