SOUTHAMPTON'S number-one position in the multi-million-pound UK cruising industry could result in expansion plans for the city's docks.

Associated British Ports (ABP), owners and operators of Southampton Docks, is examining the possibility of building a third passenger terminal to cope with the dramatic increase in business.

This comes as another new cruise ship made a maiden visit to the docks.

The 15,000-ton Finnmarken, which can carry up to 1,000 passengers and which will normally cruise along the coast of Norway, arrived earlier this week before heading off again.

A record-breaking total of 178 separate cruise ship calls have been booked for the port up to the end of this year.

Earlier this week Southampton-based P&O Cruises announced it was bringing another superliner, the 77,000-ton Adonia, to the city from April 2003.

Port director Andrew Kent said: "This news further confirms the growth in Southampton's global cruise business.

"We are pleased that ABP's ability to make the substantial investments required to handle the largest cruise liners in the world is helping to boost the prosperity of the Southampton region.

"Despite the capacity currently available at the port's two cruise terminals our success in attracting new business to Southampton is such that we may even consider the provision of further facilities in the future.''

Work is under way on a wide-ranging revamp of P&O Cruises' 106 berths in the Western Docks to improve the Mayflower Passenger Terminal.

The idea of a third passenger terminal first emerged earlier in the year when Mr Kent was giving evidence at the public inquiry into the proposed containership development at Dibden Bay. He outlined the growth of the local shipping industry including the cruise sector.