Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 16 September 2026 – MedCruise, the Association of Mediterranean Cruise Ports, held its 69th General Assembly yesterday in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, bringing together its members for an important session focused on the Association’s ongoing work, governance and future development.
As MedCruise celebrates its 30th anniversary, the 69th General Assembly marked the Association’s second General Assembly of 2026, following the 68th General Assembly held in Palermo in June. The meeting provided members with another opportunity to come together, review the progress achieved across the Association’s different areas of activity and take a series of important decisions supporting its continued evolution.
During the Internal Matters session, members of the MedCruise Board of Directors presented updates on their respective areas of responsibility, outlining the work carried out since the previous General Assembly and the priorities ahead. The presentations reflected the broad scope of MedCruise’s activities and the continued commitment of the Board to advancing initiatives that deliver value to the Association and its membership.
A major outcome of the General Assembly was the approval of 16 amendments to the MedCruise Constitution. Some provisions of the Constitution had required updating for some time, and the General Assembly provided an opportunity for members to review and discuss them collectively. The amendments aim to bring the Constitution up to date and ensure that the Association’s governance framework better reflects its current needs, priorities and ways of working.
The amendments addressed several key areas, including modernising communication methods, introducing more inclusive and gender-neutral language, strengthening member participation and reporting, and reinforcing sustainability and the role of local communities within the Association’s objectives. They also included organisational adjustments designed to support more effective governance and operations.
Of particular significance, all members present unanimously approved the inclusion of sustainability as an explicit objective of the Association, recognising its economic, social and environmental dimensions. The new objective places particular emphasis on supporting local communities, strengthening port-city relations and promoting cruise development that contributes positively to the long-term wellbeing of destinations.
MedCruise also continued to expand its international network with the admission of 11 new members: one Regular Member and ten Associate Members. Marmaris Cruise Port (Türkiye) joined the Association as a Regular Member.
The ten new Associate Members are Compagnie Commerciale Charbonnière et Maritime (CCCM) (Morocco); AKS Advisory (Italy); Worms – Medacruise (France); SeaCras (Croatia); Suardiaz (Spain); Lantimar Group (Spain); Petrol Ofisi (Türkiye); Ravenna Civitas Cruise Port (Italy); Shorelink Iberia (Spain); and Istanbul Shipping (Türkiye).
Their admission further expands MedCruise’s network of ports and cruise industry stakeholders, bringing new expertise and perspectives to the Association and strengthening opportunities for cooperation across its membership.
Commenting on the outcomes of the General Assembly, Theodora Riga, President of MedCruise, said:
“This 69th General Assembly marks another important step in the development of our Association. I would like to thank everyone for the work carried out, which has enabled us to update our Constitution and provide MedCruise with a framework that will allow us to be even more effective in promoting and supporting the cruise sector.
“At the same time, economic, social and environmental sustainability are now explicitly reflected in our Constitution as key principles guiding the Association and its activities. I would also like to thank our colleagues and friends at the Port of Las Palmas for hosting us and for their warm welcome. We now look forward to meeting again in Istanbul for the 70th MedCruise General Assembly.”
The 69th General Assembly concluded with MedCruise reaffirming its commitment to strengthening cooperation among its members, continuously improving the Association’s governance and services, and representing the interests of Mediterranean and adjoining seas cruise ports and industry stakeholders.
As MedCruise enters the next chapter of its development following three decades of activity, the decisions taken in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria provide a renewed foundation for the Association to continue evolving alongside its members and the wider cruise industry.
