World’s ‘largest private residential ship’ docks at Scottish port

The “largest private residential ship” in the world has docked at a Scottish port, which is experiencing its busiest year for cruises since before the pandemic.

The World, which consists of 165 privately-owned residences, berthed at Greenock Ocean Terminal in Inverclyde on Sunday and will remain there until Tuesday.

Each year the ship’s global travel itinerary is decided collectively by its residents and captain and it has sailed the globe since its launch in 2002.

It began its 2022 journey in Pacific North America before travelling onward to the Pacific Islands and then to South America and the Caribbean.

Its visit to Greenock forms part of the Northern European leg of its journey which has already taken it to Gijon and Santander in Spain and Nantes and Lorient in France.

Jim McSporran, Clydeport port director at Peel Ports, which owns Greenock Ocean Terminal, said: “Welcoming cruise ships to the UK from all over the world is a huge part of our work at Greenock, and it doesn’t get much more impressive than The World itself.

“We’re very pleased that Greenock has been chosen as one of the destinations for this year’s journey and we hope the residents of The World thoroughly enjoy their stay.”

The 644-foot long vessel has six restaurants, a cinema and lecture theatre, fitness centre, clothing boutique, two pools, putting greens and what is said to be the only regulation-sized tennis court at sea.

Greenock Ocean Terminal said it is experiencing its busiest year for cruises since before the pandemic.

Some 140,000 passengers and 35,000 crew members are expected to pass through the port throughout 2022, a “marked recovery” following the major disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

After leaving Greenock The World will travel onward to Amsterdam, Rotterdam in the Netherlands, Hamburg in Germany, Stockholm and Visby in Sweden, Gdansk in Poland and will finish its Northern European journey at Copenhagen in Denmark.