The NSW Government has found that a new cruise terminal is needed in Port Botany, Sydney to support the booming cruise industry and the lucrative tourism that it generates across the state.
The news, which comes with the release of the NSW Government’s Cruise Development Plan, is being welcomed with open arms by Cruise Lines International Association Australasia CLIA.
CLIA Australasia Chair, Sture Myrmell, said the industry would work with the NSW Government on feasibility studies for the development of an extra cruise facility at Port Botany after the Federal Government ruling out shared use of Garden Island during the peak cruise season.
The new terminal would work to ease the port congestion which is currently holding back cruise industry growth.
“Our industry has been advocating for a solution to Sydney’s infrastructure constraints for some years and having a clear plan of action with the NSW Government is a step forward to achieve greater certainty and a platform for growth.”
CLIA Australasia Chair, Sture Myrmell
Pictured: Radiance of the Seas docked at Sydney.
Sture said that as well as being at the centre of Australia’s largest cruise market, Sydney was one of the world’s most popular cruise destinations and needed infrastructure that could properly support cruising growth and its contribution to the economy.
“Last year alone, the cruise industry contributed more than $5 billion to the national economy supporting the equivalent of 21,000 full time jobs with the majority of this contribution, at 60 per cent, centred on NSW,” he said.
“This contribution included the purchase of large amounts of local produce from primary producers and significant spending by passengers and crew.”
Sture deemed the new findings a “positive development”.
The first step will be technical assessments for the safe berthing of cruise ships.
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