New berth for cruise ships in London
Will a new berth for large cruise ships open in London in time for the start of the 2012 Summer Olympics? The first bureaucratic hurdles for this ambitious project have already been cleared. Experts doubt, however, that the new cruise ship terminal in London can be completed within this very tight timeframe.
The new berth in England’s capital, London, will most likely be built at Enderby Wharf in Greenwich . Local authorities have already given the go-ahead for construction of the new cruise ship terminal. Work is due to begin at the end of this year. The ambitious goal is to have the new berth in London operational before the 2012 Summer Olympics.
Neue Anlegestelle fĂĽr Kreuzfahrtschiffe in London
Date: 30/09/2026
But regardless of when the new berth in London is completed, a new terminal for larger cruise ships in the city on the Thames will open up entirely new prospects for London’s tourism sector. At present, only smaller cruise ships can make their way to London, such as MS Deutschland and Prince Albert II. There is simply no room in London for larger ships, as the berth was not designed to accommodate huge ocean liners. As a result, larger cruise ships currently have to dock in Dover. From there, passengers heading on excursions still have quite a distance to travel to London (around a two-hour bus ride). The new berth would therefore make London a more attractive destination for larger cruise ship itineraries.
If ships can dock at Enderby Wharf in Greenwich, passengers will be right on London’s doorstep and can reach the city centre in around 20 minutes.
The new cruise terminal will significantly increase London’s potential as a cruise destination. Experts expect that, once the new berth in Greenwich is completed, many cruise lines will increasingly include London as a port of call on Northern Europe cruises.
Christian Bathen
Photo: André Szysnik
