Port 'working hard' to attract more cruise ships

The boss of England's most northerly port said he would love to have 10 to 20 cruise ships calling every year.

The Port of Berwick in Northumberland welcomed its first cruise passengers in 2021 and is expecting another ship in June with two more booked for 2027.

Although some passengers use the stop to see Holy Island, 14 miles (22kms) south of the town, others also visit a town renowned for its three bridges and defensive walls dating to the 16th Century.

The port's chief executive officer, David Calder, said it was a "slow burn" but the port was working "very hard with the agents to get more visits from the cruise companies".

"I'd love to see 10 or 20 coming into the port each year," he said.

"The cruise ships are not only good news for the port, they are also good news for the town and wider area."

Berwick has had a working port for more than 1,000 years.

In the 12th Century it was one of the biggest in Britain, taking wool and yarn to Flanders and France.

Agricultural products like grains and fertilisers still make up most of its business with up to 50 cargo ships arriving each year.

The port is also looking to develop into the offshore renewables sector with two projects using Tweed dock as a base in 2024 and 2025.

But it was the "small niche" in the cruise ship business that Calder said he would also like to see grow.

A dredging operation has been taking place at the port, due to end on Saturday, to allow the cargo ships to continue to come in safely.

But cruise ships are too large to come up the river so instead small boats called tenders are used to transport passengers.

The Mayor of Berwick, John Robertson said the cruise liner business was "good" for the town.

"We have so much to offer here, so much history, and something rather different to a lot of other places," he said.

"We really welcome the cruise ship passengers with open arms."

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