Dubai is significantly expanding its cruise ship port in an effort to attract more seafaring tourists to the city's Arabian Gulf shores. Dubai's port operator DP World laid out plans Wednesday to open a second cruise ship terminal at the downtown Port Rashid by the end of 2012 to allow up to five cruise liners to dock at a time. The port can handle only two cruise ships at once now. DP World Chairman Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem told reporters gathered at the waterfront terminal that the expansion is needed to keep up with a mushrooming demand from cruise operators hoping to anchor in the emirate. Slots for up to seven ships are envisioned for the future. Dubai's existing cruise terminal handled 120 ships and more than 390,000 passengers in 2010, according to DP World. The city's Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing expects that number to grow to 180 ships and 625,000 passengers by 2015. Officials say the expansion is part of a broader redevelopment that will include shopping and recreation facilities.
