03-Feb-2004

[Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico – 03 February 2004] Ensenada Cruiseport Village (ECV), situated on the Baja California Pacific coast of Mexico, has recorded its busiest year for cruise passengers.

In 2003, Ensenada received 442,767 passengers, representing a 39% increase from the previous record year. The busiest month of 2003 was October, with 56,172 passengers handled.

Many of the guests were passengers of Carnival and Royal Caribbean cruise lines which operate three and four-day cruises from southern California. Ensenada also handled a wide range of partial and full ‘homeport’ operations from the aforementioned cruise lines, as well as several other leading cruise lines.

Commenting on the new record, Mike Power, Executive Director of Hutchison Ports Mexico, said, “With the recent investment transforming ECV into a premier cruiseport, we are very pleased with the record number of passengers visiting our terminal. This record reinforces Ensenada’s position as one of Mexico’s leading cruise destinations, and the busiest port on the Pacific coast of Mexico.”

In addition to cruise ship activity, ECV finished the year with the achievement of an occupancy rate of 97% in its Marina facility.