Terminal spending starts in Seaway
THE first funding for a Gold Coast cruise ship terminal was rubberstamped by the Gold Coast City Council yesterday.
It will spend $150,000 over three months for an economic feasibility study and 3D modelling to prove cruise ships can negotiate the Gold Coast Seaway’s channels.
While documents surrounding the terminal remain confid e n t i a l , t h e B u l l e t i n understands the study will focus on a site near Sea World at Main Beach.
It will be separate from two proposals that have already come from private industry.
Singapore-based Sembawang has put up plans for a $4.9 billion super resort and cruise ship terminal at Wavebreak Island, while Leda Group boss Bob Ell has plans for a $200 million development including a terminal near Tugun and Kirra.
Mayor Tom Tate said the council’s option was for a $45 million terminal.
‘‘I want to send a message to the large developers, like the developer of Wavebreak, that council is not sitting on its hands,’’ he said. ‘‘If they don’t go ahead, we’re still going to have a cruise ship terminal.
‘‘We’re not talking about if we’re having a cruise ship terminal, we’re talking about where we’re having a cruise ship terminal.’’
Cr Tate said 3D modelling would be used to convince cruise ship operators to add the Gold Coast to their schedules.
He said modelling would allow people to ‘‘virtually’’ pilot a ship through the seaway to the council’s proposed site.
‘‘You are putting the cruise ship into dock like the terminal was already built,’’ he said.
‘‘We can show the modelling to Carnival and other cruise ship organisations.’’
A Carnival Cruises spokesman has previously told the Bulletin it was aware of the debate on the Gold Coast but it was too early to comment.
Cr Tate said Sembawang and Leda Group would be responsible for their own feasibility studies.
The council will engage Meridian Maritime Services to do the modelling.
A council report said the job would not go to tender because it would be impractical given the group’s ‘‘substantial knowledge of the navigational issues for cruise ships arriving/leaving the Gold Coast Seaway’’.