Sydney needs a large, modern cruise terminal

The problems facing the Australian port of Sydney with regard to handling today’s large, modern cruise ships was demonstrated the other week when four ships were in port at the same day, creating something of a log jam. Sydney is in urgent need of a large, modern cruise terminal.

The four cruise vessels in town the other week were P&O Cruises’ Australia’s 1,590 passenger capacity (696 crew) Pacific Dawn, alongside at Wharf 8 Darling Harbour, Crystal Cruises’ 1,100 passenger capacity (650 crew) Crystal Serenity, alongside at the Overseas Passenger Terminal in Sydney Cove, while Celebrity cruises’ 1,950 passenger capacity (999 crew) Celebrity Millennium was anchored in Athol Bay and P&O Cruises’ Aurora, 1,860 passengers (816 crew) was at anchor off Point Piper. Luckily for the two ships at anchor the weather was good for passenger transfer by tenders.

Carnival Australia’s CEO Ann Sherry is leading a campaign to get world-class cruise terminal facilities at Australia’s main cruise turnaround port. The single berth Overseas Passenger Terminal is unable to handle the number of ships too big to pass under the famous Sydney Harbour Bridge. She is also leading the fight for a more cruise ship-friendly location of the proposed new terminal at White Bay, which the New South Wales Government has chosen to replace the existing facility at Wharf 8, Darling Harbour.

Meanwhile, Carnival UK’s CEO David Dingle has added his weight to improved cruise ship facilities in Sydney. Dingle, responsible for P&O Cruises Australia, said that the decision to pull down Wharf 8, Darling Harbour, is ‘bizarre’ and that it ‘defies belief.’ Dingle believes that the local Government should include Wharf 8 in the proposed development of the East Darling Harbour precinct that has been named Barangaroo. He said that the proposed controversial plan to build a new cruiser terminal at White Bay is ‘financially irresponsible’ and would be ‘a waste of taxpayers’ money.’

Carnival would like to see a new cruise terminal built at the Royal Australian Navy’s Garden Island base in Sydney to supplement to Overseas Passenger Terminal.  Sphere: Related Content