Cruise Europe – New member: Tvoroyri
Tvoroyri is situated on Sudoroy, the southernmost island of the Faroe Islands. The spacious fjord, established port infrastructure and surrounding landscape provide an ideal setting for cruise calls.
From the port, passengers have access to Tvoroyri and the whole of Suduroy, with its sea cliffs, mountains, valleys, villages, hiking opportunities, maritime heritage and distinctive local culture.
Tvoroyri developed as an important trading centre in the 19th century. On August 15 1924, it opened what is regarded as the first purpose-built modern harbour in the Faroe Islands.
The inner harbour has undergone considerable modernisation and enhancement in recent years, while further opportunities for development remain around the fjord. Today, the port also encompasses the harbour at Drelnes and the quay at Hvitanes.
Although cruiseships have been calling for years, there is a new ambition to develop the business in a more structured and strategic way, according to harbour master Rogvi Thorsteinsson.
Recognising the different needs of both varying sizes of ships and multinational passengers, he says: “The landscape around Trongisvagsfjordur provides a spectacular natural setting, while the size and characteristics of the fjord provide favourable conditions for visiting vessels. At the same time, the local community has a great deal to offer visitors through its culture, history, nature, hospitality and local knowledge.”
As part of this next phase, Tvoroyri Municipality has entered into a strategic cooperation agreement with Nordic Port Group (NPG) to represent and promote it internationally as a cruise destination and support the port with cruiseline relations, destination development, operational advice, international marketing and long-term strategic planning.
Sustainability will be central to the development. For the municipality, one of the most important ambitions is that local people and businesses have the opportunity to become part of the cruise industry and benefit from its development. Rather than introducing a standardised cruise model, the intention is to begin with the destination itself: its people, infrastructure, environment, capacity and opportunities.
“We want development to take place at a scale and in a manner that respects our nature and local environment while at the same time creating meaningful economic opportunities within the community. The ambition is therefore not simply more cruise tourism, but better-managed cruise tourism,” says Thorsteinsson.
“Tvoroyri is not a place created for tourism, but a living maritime town with its own history, economy and everyday life. Our objective is to develop carefully and over the long term. Joining Cruise Europe and entering into the partnership with NPG are important steps in increasing international visibility and building relationships within the cruise industry,” he adds.
Historic buildings, colourful wooden houses, the distinctive Norwegian-built church and a working harbour all form part of Tvoroyri’s identity. At Drelnes, visitors will find the cultural venue, SALT, created in a former salt silo, which hosts concerts, exhibitions and cultural events.
This year the port received four calls with six booked next year, seven in 2028 and four in 2029, bringing a total of about 5,000 passengers over the years. Customers include Ponant and Seabourn.
There is one quay with a length of 450m and depth of 12m with the maximum loa possible alongside being 320m. There is also unlimited anchorage 0.4nm from the quay.
(Cruise Europe – New member: Tvoroyri)
