THE first transatlantic passenger liner to visit Liverpool in 42-years has sailed into the River Mersey.
MV Rotterdam, carrying 1300 passengers, arrived this morning at the city’s cruise liner terminal.
The 60,000-tonne Rotterdam vessel sailed in from New York via Belfast. She will leave later today.
It is hoped this first visit by the Holland America Line’s (HAL) fleet will lead to regular visits by transatlantic liners.
She will be the first cruise ship connecting Liverpool with New York since the Sylvania made a crossing from the Mersey in November 1967.
That was a one-off sailing after Cunard stopped its regular transatlantic service the previous year.
The last north Atlantic passenger voyage was made by the Empress of Canada 111 from Liverpool on November 7, 1971.
Cllr Gary Millar, Liverpool’s member for enterprise and tourism, said it was another significant landmark for the terminal.
