Elmina Fishing Harbor is hosting a cruise ship with a capacity of 280 people

The €84 million Elmina Fishing Port, with deep sea access mooring space for a fleet of fishing boats, has received its first cruise ship, ‘SH Vega’.

Named after the first ship to cross the Northeast Passage, SH Vega is designed to travel to far-flung places and remote polar regions in style and comfort.

Built at the famous Finnish Helsinki shipyard, SH Vega is made for wonderful cruising experiences.

It has inviting areas to relax on board, unobstructed views of the entire ship, and world-class restaurants, staterooms and amenities intended for sailing pleasure.

There were 115 partygoers on board the historic ship with a capacity of 280 passengers, consisting of 106 passengers and nine crew members.

The ship dropped anchor in Elmina waters, approximately 8.8 cables from the port’s main breakwater.

It then lowered its Zodiac (inflatable boats) into the water before gently landing the 115 passengers and crew in safe groups in the zodiac to the shores of the old city to catch a glimpse of the historic landscape.

The nationalities of passengers on board the cruise ship include Australia, Austria, China, France, Germany, Greece, Russia and Nigeria.

The ship had previously sailed to several ports, including Angola, Benin, Congo, Gabon, Togo and São Tomé.

The tourists visited Elmina Castle and Municipality, Batik Making Center at Global Mamas, all in Elmina, Kakum National Park and Cape Castle.

They also enjoyed traditional drumming and dancing lessons with beautiful performances, in addition to Ghanaian and continental delicacies.

Ghana is considered one of the favorite destinations of cruise passengers worldwide, with Tema and Takoradi being the traditional ports of call.

With this first call from SH Vega, the Elmina Fishing Port, which was primarily built by the government to assist fishermen in their fishing activities, has now taken on a dual port role: both a fishing port and a cruise destination.

Mr. Peter Amos-Bediako, the Port Director, during a short ceremony, commended the government for the construction of the facility. He emphasized that SH Vega’s visit to Elmina Fishing Port provided endless opportunities for the port to promote local and international tourism.

“It is a great day in the annals of Ghana’s tourism and maritime industry,” he said.

He also thanked the various institutions that made the trip a success.

Mr. Solomon Appiah, Municipal Manager of the Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abrem, was optimistic that the local economy of Elmina and its environs would be positively impacted by this historic achievement.