TUI Cruises today announced that Malta is to be Mein Schiff 3 - the agency’s newly built ship - Mediterranean port of departure for 2014.

The ship can carry up to 2,500 passengers which should make up for lost revenue after a number of cruise liners had decided to reduce their port calls to Malta.

Speaking in the presence of SMS Shipping Managing Director Simon Mifsud, TUI Cruises CEO Richard J. Vogel, Valletta Cruise Port chairman Joe Zammit Tabona,  Malta Tourism Authority CEO Josef Formosa Gauci, Tourism Minister Karmenu Vella said that Tui Cruises does not only use Malta as a port of call but also as its homeport for its ships.

Malta has been serving as TUI Cruises’ Mein Schiff 1 and Mein Schiff 2 port of call since 2010.

He said that the cruise liner industry is vital for Malta’s economy since it serves as a first-hand preview of Malta’s product to visitors which may lead to visitors revisiting the island a second time around.

Mr Vella said that the success of TUI operation consolidated Malta’s reputation as a reliable partner for cruise liners, adding that the fact that TUI Cruises have confirmed it will be homeporting again in Malta in 2014 and 2015 further consolidates the country’s relationship with the cruise liner company.