$170M CASH SPLASH

A NEW report that shows cruise shipping is worth $170 million a year to the Far Northern economy highlights how d redging of the Cairns’ shipping channel is crucial to the city’s future.

The city hosted 57 ship visits as well as dozens more anchored offshore at Yorkeys Knob and Port Douglas in the 2017-1 8 financ ial year. The economic assessment report showed passengers spent $40m, crew spent $2.4m and cruise lines spent $32.8m. A $120 million dredging project, yet to be a pproved, would allow ships of up to 300m long to enter the port and bring hundr eds of extra high -spending passengers per visit.