MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Fifty one tour ships for the coming South Georgia season

Tour ship visits to South Georgia Island in the South Atlantic for the coming season are higher than last season, according to the island's government.

However, a small fall in the number of cruise passengers visiting "is most likely".

Fifty-one ships have so far applied, two more than visited last season. Most of them follow on form the Falkland Islands. Opening the cruise ship season will be "Nordnorge", visiting Grytviken on October 26th. Total passenger capacity between the ships is just under 5500. Last season 5427 cruise passengers visited the island and occupancy was very high at 97.5%.

In the coming season occupancy would have to be almost 100%, or more ships would have to apply to visit, to beat last season's record number of passengers.

Three ships that have not previously visited are on the list: "Ushuaia", capable of carrying 75 passengers, makes two calls; "Le Diamont", 200 passengers, visits Grytviken on Christmas Day; and "The World", 250 passengers, visits in January.

The cruise ship season is due to finish in mid March 2007 with the last of three visits by "Grigoriy Mikheev".

Several yachts have also applied to visit, some carrying expedition, research or filming parties.