THE latest £55 million cruise terminal in Southampton has been named Horizon Cruise Terminal, following a competition which called for suggestions backed by the Dorset Echo.

Associated British Ports, the statutory harbour authority for Southampton Water, announced the name for its fifth world-class, open access cruise terminal.

A competition was launched this month in partnership with the Bournemouth Echo, Daily Echo and Dorset Echo to find a name for the terminal befitting to its significance of the city and surrounding area.

With nearly 4,000 suggestions entered, Horizon Cruise Terminal was put forward by Anna Chojnacka having been chosen at random from multiple entries of the same name. Anna wins a seven-night cruise holiday offered by the terminal’s cruise partners, MSC Cruises.

The winner of the second token collect competition was Lin Malt from Hampshire. Lin wins a seven-night cruise holidays offered by the terminal’s cruise partners, NCL.

Horizon Cruise Terminal, joins the line-up of the four existing world-class cruise terminals in the port which are named Queen Elizabeth II Cruise Terminal, City Cruise Terminal, Ocean Cruise Terminal and Mayflower Cruise Terminal.

Director at ABP in Southampton Alastair Welch said: “We are delighted to be announcing the name for the port’s newest cruise terminal. We selected this name as the shape of the terminal roof is such a distinctive silhouette on the horizon as you come through Dock Gate 10. Cruise is such an important part of the city’s heritage, culture and history, and we liked how this name suggests a new start for cruise following a challenging year.We knew that reaching out to the members of public to help us name this important piece of the city and port’s future, would generate some fantastic ideas and we have been so pleased with the strong response.

“We’re incredibly grateful to have worked with our cruise partners NCL and MSC Cruises to support this competition by providing European cruises as a prize. We’re looking forward to welcoming our first cruise passengers to Horizon Cruise Terminal this summer, and the new terminal becoming an iconic part of the horizon line of the city.”

The Port of Southampton is Europe’s leading cruise turn-around port and the Horizon Cruise Terminal is in the port’s Western Docks, inside Dock Gate 10.

The fifth dedicated cruise terminal at the port will benefit from roof-mounted solar power and will also have Shore Power connectivity installed. With construction on track, the port will be welcoming ships alongside from the summer.

Anna Chojnacka will set sail on a seven-night cruise after winning the first competition she has ever entered.

The 52-year-old from Chandler’s Ford was one of almost 4,000 people to put forward name suggestions for the £55 million cruise terminal at the Port of Southampton.

Anna who plans to take her partner along with her, said: “I feel extremely lucky. I have only just found out. It’s a big surprise. I feel delighted. It was my first competition and I thought why not.”

Commenting on her choice of name, she mentioned looking into the horizon.

She added: “I thought about the future and the past of the city. The future is something you can’t predict.”