MSC Cruises has announced that it has completed the acquisition of Goulette Shipping Cruise, the company that operates the cruise terminal in La Goulette, Tunisia.

In a joint venture with independent cruise port operator, Global Ports Holding, it completed the acquisition from Al Karama Holding.

The concession to operate the cruise port was awarded to La Goulette Shipping Cruise in 2006 on a 30-year basis, with a right to extend the term for an additional 20 years.

Between 2011 and 2014, the cruise terminal has welcomed on average 441,000 cruise passengers per annum, down from the 900,000 it received in 2010.

After a terrorist attack in 2015 on the popular tourist resort of Sousse, that left 38 dead, including 30 Britons, the UK’s foreign office advised against ‘all but essential travel’ and imposed travel restrictions which left tourist numbers down by 25 per cent.

All cruise lines cancelled port calls in Tunisia for the remainder of the year and most of 2016, with Hapag-Lloyd Cruises becoming the first to return in late 2016. Viking Cruises followed with a series of dates calling at the port in 2017 and 2018.

The restriction on the North African country was lifted in 2018 and prompted operators to encourage put Tunisia back on the holiday map and arrivals returned to pre-2015 levels.

The port is located in the country’s capital city, Tunis, approximately 15 kilometres east of the city centre.

MSC Cruises will be visiting Tunisia in 2021 as part of its seven-night Mediterranean – Western Cruise itinerary on the MSC Poesia, departing from Rome on 13 November 2021.