Earlier this year The Tourism Company, along with marine engineers Beckitt Rankine and cruise experts Seatrade, researched the potential for a new cruise facility in central London. The work, commissioned by the GLA and LDA on behalf of the London Waterways Commission, looked at the current and future markets for cruise ships in central London and assessed a number of potential sites along the river.  The key findings of the research were:

• Demand for cruising continues to be strong and demand for cruise ship visits to London are likely to increase if they can be adequately accommodated.
• Current facilities and conditions are already restricting growth and will do so in the future.
• Tower Bridge Upper will continue to attract high end and transit calls even if there is a dedicated terminal elsewhere.
• There are a few potential locations for a new terminal, although most have constraints.
• A new terminal in central London should include facilities for handling turnaround calls.
• There are a number of fundamental requirements for a new cruise terminal although a high spec building is not required.
• Cost is an important factor influencing cruise lines’ decisions to deploy in a destination
• Local transport infrastructure is important and the river has an important role to play in this regard.
• Given the seasonal nature of the industry, a secondary use for a terminal will be crucial.
• In order to maximise the potential of a new terminal, there needs to be a co-ordinated and committed approach to marketing.

According to the Mayor's website, www.london.gov.uk, "The Mayor will be considering the report in his replacement London Plan and will seek opportunities to take forward the report’s conclusions."

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