Cruisy trial run is just the start
IT’S the countdown for the city’s multimillion- dollar cruise ship industry with only six weeks before history is made.
The landmark stop in Townsville will see P& O’s Pacific Eden include the city in its annual repositioning cruise.
For the first time, cruise ship passengers will be able to start their holiday from Townsville. Passengers will also be able to end their holiday in the city.
And, yesterday, the Townsville Cruise Ship Committee took part in a detailed trial run to ensure the partial ship turnaround of the Pacific Eden on September 7 is carried out with precision.
Townsville Cruise Ship Committee chair Sharon Hoops said the Pacific Eden’s partial turnaround was a huge step forward for the city’s cruise ship industry.
“September 7 will be the first time we carry out a partial turnaround, so for us the trial day today gets together the key people that will be on hand for the Pacific Eden’s arrival into the city on September 7,” she said.
“Today was about having a physical run- through of what will happen when the Pacific Eden arrives in September.
“Not only do we need to manage the usual disembarking of the 1200 cruise passengers for their day stopover but we will be managing the embarking of the new passengers as well.”
The Pacific Eden will leave Cairns on August 27 for an 11- night cruise to Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands, ending in Townsville.
New passengers will then board the ship in Townsville for a three- day cruise to Sydney.
P& O’s trial stop has been lauded by the cruise ship committee as an important step in its bid to have a cruise liner name the city as its home port.
“Our ultimate goal is home porting but realistically that won’t happen until the channel is widened,” she said.
“Without the channel being widened, the port can’t accommodate ships longer than 238m due to the narrow sea channels.
“To ensure the city continues to reap the significant benefits of the cruise ship industry the channel widening needs to be completed.
“Cruise ships are getting bigger and the widening of the channel is critical to the future viability of the port.”
Port of Townsville will fund $ 43 million of the Channel Capacity Upgrade, the Queensland Government has confirmed a $ 75 million funding commitment and has sought a matched $ 75 million contribution from the Federal Government.