Calls for urgent seaport upgrades

The aim is for ships as long as 300m to enter the port, including the 293m long Radiance of the Seas, which has to anchor off Yorkeys Knob.

Last year Australian passenger numbers grew by 21 per cent or 222,378 to total 1.281 million.

RCL Cruises’ managing director Adam Armstrong said larger and newer ships were coming to Australia.

“I believe the only impediment to reaching our target of two million Australian cruisers by 2020 is port infrastructure,” he said. “We look forward to hearing further details of the proposed upgrades to Cairns port which might enable our large superliners to call.”

Carnival executive chairman Ann Sherry said “future strong growth and economic performance can only be sustained if port infrastructure challenges ... are addressed.”

Cairns Port Development president Ron Crew said the Cairns Shipping Development Project started in 2012.

“The constant delays to the port modernisation project are bad for Cairns. The Queensland Government has delayed the EIS study four times,” he said.

A Ports North spokeswoman said infrastructure upgrades were part of the Cairns Shipping Development Project with Ports North due to submit the draft EIS report to the Coordinator General by June 30.

She said it was up to the Coordinator General to make the document public.