The Port of Lisbon set several records in cruise activity in 2023, surpassing, for the first time, the milestone of 700 thousand passengers and reaching over 200 thousand cruise passengers in the turnaround segment, which refers to cruises with embarkation and/or disembarkation at the cruise terminal in the Portuguese capital.

In total, there were 758,328 cruise passengers, marking a 54% increase compared to 2022 and surpassing the previous record set in 2018, which saw 577,603 cruise passengers. The number of transit passengers reached 554,324, a growth of 37% from 2022. The turnaround segment totaled 204,004, a remarkable 131% increase compared to the same period, with 102,680 passengers embarking and 101,324 disembarking.

€83 million in direct economic impact

According to the Economic Impact Study of Cruise Activity in Lisbon, promoted by APL in partnership with LCP, and conducted by Netsonda and Nova SBE, an embarked passenger spends an average of €367 in Lisbon, while a transit passenger spends €82. With 102,680 passengers embarking and 554,324 in transit in 2023, cruise activity generated over €83 million in direct economic impact.

Regarding these figures, Carlos Correia, President of the Board of Directors of the Port of Lisbon (APL), highlights that "2023 was indisputably the best year ever for cruise activity in Lisbon, reflecting the success of the strategy to enhance and qualify the cruise industry in the Portuguese capital coordinated by APL and the concessionaire."

He adds, "These are excellent news for the socio-economic development of the entire region, with the additional positive outcome of the environmental study on cruises in Lisbon, conducted for APL by CLIA - Cruise Lines International Association, in partnership with the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the Rovira i Virgili University (Tarragona, Spain). This study reveals that pollution levels in the Portuguese capital are not significantly influenced by cruise activity. In addition, the Port of Lisbon continues to work on the electrification of the cruise terminal to mitigate environmental impacts as much as possible."

The aforementioned study analyzed levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2), carbon monoxide (CO), and particulate matter (PM10). According to the data analyzed, the contribution of cruise ships to the increase in local levels of various atmospheric pollutants such as SO2 and PM10 is very limited. In terms of the quantity of carbon monoxide and ozone in local air quality, the impact of cruise activity is deemed insignificant.

Even with ship traffic exceeding the capacity of the Lisbon Cruise Terminal, results for NO2 levels would be classified as "reasonable" or "moderate" according to the Air Quality Index (AQI) of the European Environment Agency (EEA).

Turnaround segment with exponential growth

When reviewing the results of cruise activity in Lisbon for 2023, the turnaround segment stood out the most, highlighting the increasing demand for Lisbon by operators to conduct major operations. On July 30, the largest turnaround operation ever took place at the Port of Lisbon, with a total of 9,163 passengers, including 4,476 embarking and 4,687 disembarking.

On average, 1,624 passengers embarked and disembarked for each turnaround call, compared to 629 passengers in 2022. More calls were made, with a total of 347, 20 more than in 2022. Turnaround calls also set a new record, with 107, surpassing the previous absolute maximum of 103 calls in the corresponding period.

Adding to the new record values, 24 ships chose the Port of Lisbon for their first call, the highest number ever. Nine of these vessels were on their maiden voyage, and four of them passed through Lisbon on their inaugural journey.

Main issuing markets

Europe remained the main market for passengers visiting Lisbon in 2023, with the United Kingdom standing out as the predominant market, accounting for 38% (286,305) of the total. The second-place, previously held by the German market, shifted to the United States of America (USA), which saw a growth of 116%, now holding a 20% share of cruise passengers (149,233) compared to 14% in 2022.

Although the German market grew by 14%, it now occupies the third position, responsible for 15% of cruise tourists in Lisbon. Canada is in fourth place, with 34,085 passengers (+172%) and a market share of 4%.

In fifth place, with 28,025 passengers, is Portugal, which saw a 68% growth and maintained the same position as the previous year. Regarding the turnaround segment, the leadership belongs to the USA market. With a growth of 204%, American passengers embarking and disembarking at the Port of Lisbon increased from 28,355 in 2022 to 86,124 in 2023.

The world's most sustainable cruise ship visited Lisbon

Finally, it's worth noting that in 2023, the Port of Lisbon received, on its inaugural voyage, the most sustainable cruise ship of the present, the Silver Nova. This vessel features hybrid energy sources, a novelty in the industry, achieving zero harmful emissions while in port.

This is one of the investments that cruise industry companies continue to make in new ships and green technologies, with the goal of achieving "Global Net-Zero" by 2050, meaning zero greenhouse gas emissions.

For the next five years, members of the Cruise Lines International Association announced investments of €23 billion in new ships, strongly committed to sustainability and decarbonization. On the other hand, by 2026, several ports will invest in supplying electric power to cruise ships, aiming to contribute to eliminating all CO2 emissions in ports by 2030. In the Port of Lisbon, this transition to electric power is expected by 2026.