The Global Ports Holding (GPH) company of the Turkish Global Investment Holdings (GIH) group further broadens its already vast network of port terminals dedicated to the cruerists. The company has signed a memorandum of understanding with the government of the Caribbean island nation of Santa Lucia to handle cruise traffic on the Central American island under a contract for the duration of 30 years with option for the possible extension of the period of additional ten years.

With the MoU the parties have committed to observe a period of exclusivity during which the due diligence procedure will be carried out and the contractual agreement will be defined. The deal is expected to be finalized by the first half of 2023 and will include a commitment by GPH to an upgrade of the island's infrastructure aimed at cruises, including the expansion of the current quay platform. Seraphine, an extension that will allow the docking of ships of the class "Oasis" of the American cruise group Royal Caribbean Cruises.

Three years ago, the government of Saint Lucia had signed a memorandum of understanding with U.S. cruise groups Royal Caribbean and Carnival Corporation in the end of the establishment of a joint venture for the management of the cruise business. to the port of Castries under a long-term concession contract. In addition, the agreement provided for the design, financing, construction and management of a new cruise port at Vieux Fort. However the MoU with the two world leading groups in the cruise industry had not led to the subscription of a concession contract.

Recalling that in 2019 in Santa Lucia, 790mila crucierists, GPH said that with the modernization and construction of new infrastructure for cruises, it is expected in the medium term to lift the cruise traffic to more than one. million passengers a year.