MedCruise at the Forefront of Seatrade Europe 2025
The 2025 edition of Seatrade Europe, held in Hamburg from 10 to 12 September, marked a significant opportunity for MedCruise to reaffirm its leading role in the cruise landscape of the Mediterranean and its adjoining seas.
The Association participated in the event with a strong and structured institutional presence, actively contributing to strategic discussions, presentations, thematic panels, and initiatives dedicated to the promotion of Mediterranean ports and destinations. Reinforcing its impact further was MedCruise’s participation in the CLIA Ports & Destination Dialogue, held on 9 September, the day before Seatrade Europe. This key industry forum addressed central themes such as port innovation and sustainability, outlining the path for responsible and collaborative growth within the cruise sector.
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Seatrade Europe brought together cruise industry leaders, stakeholders, institutional representatives, and professionals from across Europe. In this dynamic and strategic setting, the MedCruise stand became a true hub for networking and professional exchange. Numerous B2B meetings enabled MedCruise members to present their offerings, discuss future projects, and strengthen ties with cruise lines and other industry players. The vibrant activity at the MedCruise booth highlighted how the Association has become an essential platform for promoting the Mediterranean as a premier global cruise region.
Within the conference programme, MedCruise played a key role through the participation of its President, Theodora Riga, who also serves as President of the Port Authority of Corfu. Riga took part in the panel “European Port & Destination Associations: Community Engagement in Port Cities,” alongside representatives from Cruise Europe, Cruise Norway, Cruise Britain, and Cruise Baltic. Moderated by Figen Ayan, Honorary President of MedCruise, the panel presented findings from a joint survey on the impact of cruise tourism on European destinations, emphasizing the importance of sustainable and community-inclusive growth in cruise activities.
At the CLIA Ports & Destination Dialogue, Laura Cimaglia, Vice President of MedCruise, responsible for Cruise Community Engagement, and Director of General and International Affairs at the Port Network Authority of the Ionian Sea – Port of Taranto, shared the Association’s perspective on fostering collaboration between ports and local communities. Her intervention underlined the need for constant dialogue among stakeholders, joint planning, and the adoption of best practices to ensure a sustainable and inclusive future that places community well-being at the centre.
One of the most well-received sessions of the event was “Port Tech Innovation: Smart Ports & Digitalisation,” where Luz Marina Espiau, MedCruise Board Member (Digitalisation and Innovation) and Head of Commercial Division and Business Development at the Port Authority of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, joined Aziz Güngör, General Manager of Ege Port Kusadasi. Together, they showcased how Mediterranean ports are adopting advanced digital solutions to optimize operations and increase efficiency. Their examples of smart technology implementation highlighted digitalization as an indispensable pillar of port competitiveness.
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Energy sustainability took the spotlight during the panel “Shore Power at Scale: Where Are European Ports Now & What Is the Roadmap to Onshore Power?” Valeria Mangiarotti, MedCruise Board Member (Sustainability & Environmental Energy Policies) and Marketing Manager at the Port Network Authority of the Sardinian Sea, shared the stage with Ana Lourenço, Cruise Manager at the Port of Lisbon. Both speakers provided a snapshot of shore power infrastructure development across European ports, addressing technical and economic challenges while also exploring the opportunities offered by the transition to cleaner energy sources.
On the tourism promotion front, MedCruise presented a renewed narrative for the Mediterranean, as highlighted in the panel “Rewriting Cruise Marketing: Destinations (Not Discounts) Drive Demand.” Cristina De Gregori, Authority MedCruise Board Member (Brand, Strategic Communications & Marketing) and Staff Comunicazione e Marketing at the Western Ligurian Sea Port Authority (Ports of Genoa and Savona), and Ceylan Erzi, Marketing Director at Ege Port Kusadasi, illustrated how authenticity, culture, and local experiences are now central pillars in attracting high-quality cruise tourism, moving beyond discount-driven promotional strategies.
The active involvement of MedCruise members further enriched the Association’s presence in Hamburg. Key contributors included Mashhoor Baeshen from Cruise Saudi, Ioannis Bras from Five Senses Consulting and Development, Susana Gutiérrez from Málaga and Las Palmas Cruise Ports, Stephen Xuereb from Valletta Cruise Port, Leyla Oner from Tura Turizm, and George Spirakis and Kim Donkers from Intercruises Shoreside and Port Services. This wide range of voices demonstrated the diversity and strength of the MedCruise network, which today includes over 159 ports and 50 associate members across 22 countries spanning three continents: Europe, Asia, and Africa.
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A key milestone during MedCruise’s time at Seatrade Europe 2025 was the launch of the Working Group on Economic Impact Assessments, led by Lorenzo Vera, MedCruise Board Member (Economic Impact Assessments) and Commercial Unit Manager at the Port Authority of Motril-Granada. The group aims to develop shared analytical tools to objectively and comparably measure the economic benefits generated by cruise traffic in various regions. Another significant initiative was President Riga’s dedicated presentation to German travel agents, aimed at strengthening the visibility of Mediterranean destinations in the German-speaking market—a key audience for cultural and scenic cruises.
During the event, the upcoming International Congress of Nautical and Cruise Tourism, CITCA Suncruise 2025, was also officially announced. The congress will take place in October at the Port of Motril, a MedCruise member, and will offer an important opportunity to delve deeper into sustainability, innovation, and marketing in the cruise sector. MedCruise also used Seatrade Europe as a platform to reinforce collaboration with other major European port associations through a dedicated meeting with Cruise Europe, Cruise Norway, Cruise Britain, and Cruise Baltic. This engagement aimed to foster joint initiatives and a unified vision on shared challenges, strengthening regional synergies across the continent.
MedCruise’s presence in Hamburg was more than a promotional showcase—it was a testament to its strategic vision and institutional dedication. The Association reaffirmed its commitment to supporting balanced, sustainable, and competitive development for its member ports while actively contributing to the broader European dialogue on the cruise industry’s future.
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