---

Abu Dhabi looks set to challenge Dubai for dominance of the region's cruise ship market after it was confirmed this week that Italian operator MSC Cruises will become the first cruise line to use Abu Dhabi as its home port.

The Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA) and MSC Cruises signed a cooperation agreement that will see the cruise operator deploy one of its top vessels, MSC Lirica, to the UAE capital on a home port basis from October 2011.

The elevation from port-of-call to home port status for the first time in the port's history looks set to strengthen Abu Dhabi's credentials in the cruise sector, which in turn could lead to increased cruise ship - and bunkering - activity over the next few years.

Under the terms of the agreement with the ADTA, Abu Dhabi’s Mina Zayed Port will serve as the primary embarkation and disembarkation point for the MSC Lirica for her busy 2011-2012 winter season.

The itinerary includes a full schedule of nineteen 8 day-7 night cruises from Abu Dhabi, with departures every Sunday from October 30th through to March 4th 2012 and from Dubai, with departures every Friday, from October 28th to March 9th 2012. MSC Lirica will call at Muscat, Oman, Fujairah, United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.

On October 14th 2011 MSC Lirica will depart from Genoa, Italy, for a 17 day-16 night maiden cruise to Abu Dhabi, to start her first ever cruise season in the United Arab Emirates. Her southbound course will take her from the Mediterranean Sea with calls in Naples, Italy, and Port Said, Egypt, through the Suez Canal to Aqaba in Jordan, Salalah and Muscat in Oman and finally to Dubai and Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates.

The vessel will start her northbound return cruise to Genoa in Italy in March 2012. Scheduled stops are Fujairah, Muscat, Salalah, Safaga, Aqaba, Port Sokhna, through the Suez Canal to Port Said and finally to Naples and Genoa.

Pictured: MSC Fantasia