Construction Begins on Norfolk’s New $2.6 Million Cruise Ship Gangway

Nauticus prepares for one of its busiest cruise seasons in 2022.

Norfolk, Va. (October 20, 2021) – An enormous crane takes center stage along Norfolk’s downtown waterfront this week as construction begins on Nauticus’ new cruise ship gangway. The new passenger boarding system will accommodate larger, more modern cruise ships, including the Carnival Magic, scheduled to set sail from Norfolk in 2022. The gangway was designed by Swedish company, Seawing PBB. The new boarding system arrived aboard the vessel M/V Sluisgracht on October 6 and will be assembled at Nauticus over the coming weeks.

“Next year will be a game changer for our cruise ship program,” said Nauticus’ executive director, Stephen E. Kirkland. “Not only will we begin our five-year partnership with Carnival, we’ll also welcome 25 ships from Norwegian Cruise Line, representing the largest port-of-call commitment ever for Norfolk.”

Construction on Nauticus’ new passenger boarding bridge is set to be completed in mid-November. Nauticus will welcome more than 180,000 cruise ship passengers in 2022

About Nauticus
Located on the Nauticus campus, the Peter G. Decker, Jr. Half Moone Center is Virginia’s only cruise terminal. Nauticus Foundation is the nonprofit, 501©3 that supports the mission and activities of Nauticus. Nauticus’ mission is to benefit the community through education, impactful experiences, and sharing access to maritime resources. For more information, visit www.nauticus.org.