Valletta Cruise Port CEO Stephen Xuereb participates in international cruise conference in Hong Kong

Stephen Xuereb, CEO of Valletta Cruise Port plc and Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Global Ports Holding plc, recently participated in international cruise conference Seatrade Cruise Asia Pacific.

The event, which took place from 24th October to 26th October in Hong Kong, brought together a number of international executives and businesses together for networking, learning and discussion on opportunities for future growth potential for the cruise industry.

Mr Xuereb was a speaker in the panel titled “Sustainable Infrastructure Shoreside”, and during the discussion, he highlighted the paramount importance of operating the cruise industry sustainably, stressing the need for stakeholders to share knowledge between one another.

When asked about a preferred port with regards to sustainability, he said: “It would be unfair to pick one port as my favourite from a sustainability perspective since we operate a variety of cruise ports, all having their own challenges.”

He emphasised that the core principle at Global Ports Holding is to praise the best efforts in working towards sustainability goals. Mr Xuereb remarked that the company also seeks to provide the “best possible infrastructure” within the ports’ constraints, the “best professional service” to cruise lines, and also enhance guest experiences through the collaboration of all stakeholders.

Mr Xuereb is an established figure in the cruise industry, having joined Valletta Cruise Port in 2002 as Chief Financial Officer (CFO), before he was promoted to CEO in 2014. He was also appointed COO at Global Ports Holding in 2016. He now sits on the Board of Directors of a number of international cruise port companies located both in and out of Europe.