Fred. Olsen and Liverpool Cruise Port Launch Youth Careers Programme

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines and Liverpool Cruise Port, operated by Global Ports Holding, signed a joint commitment on board the vessel Bolette to launch Next-Gen Horizons, a programme designed to introduce young people from across the Liverpool region to maritime and port careers, both ashore and on board ships.

The initiative aims to showcase employment opportunities in the cruise and maritime sector through experiences at Liverpool Cruise Port and across Fred. Olsen's fleet, made up of the vessels Bolette, Borealis and Balmoral. Representatives from the cruise line, the port and educational institutions from the Liverpool region and surrounding areas gathered on board the Bolette to sign the commitment, which seeks to expand opportunities for young people, strengthen ties between education and industry, and build students' confidence as they explore future careers.

Dominic Simpson, Head of Environment and Sustainability at Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, said the company is proud to continue its more than 20-year relationship with Liverpool and to help young people gain first-hand knowledge of the industry so they can consider careers at sea and ashore. For his part, John Mawer, General Manager of GPH UK Ports, described Liverpool Cruise Port as an international gateway with a local heart, and stated that Next-Gen Horizons strengthens community engagement alongside Fred. Olsen and educational partners.

The programme's activities will combine guided port visits, ship tours, meetings with industry professionals and hands-on learning. Through these experiences, students will learn about roles related to port operations, engineering, logistics, hospitality and sustainability.

Next-Gen Horizons builds on the community engagement and sustainability partnership that Fred. Olsen and Liverpool Cruise Port have maintained since 2026. Within that broader framework, the cruise line reported that in 2026 it welcomed 274 young people on board its ships and at its shore offices, although, as Info Puertos clarified, that figure corresponds to the company's overall community activity and not exclusively to this new programme.