NSW Minister for Tourism and Events, Adam Marshall, has promised a solution to the cruise infrastructure crisis in Sydney Harbour by the end of 2017, with a working party currently considering a number of options.
Speaking to travel industry reps at an event at Parliament House in Sydney yesterday, Marshall (pictured) confirmed that the “cruise industry in Sydney has almost hit its limit,” with current constraints meaning the harbour city cannot easily accept any more cruise ships.
Despite the White Bay Cruise Terminal being available, many newer ships are too large to fit under the Harbour Bridge so an alternative must be found, he confirmed.
The working group is led by former NSW opposition leader and Navy veteran Peter Collins, (CW 11 Jul) and includes representatives from cruise lines, NSW Ports and several other agencies, he said.
Currently they are looking at “three or four” possibilities and will refine that down to a preferred option in the coming weeks, with the committee due to report back by the end of Sep.
“Before the end of the year we will have a very clear solution…we don’t want to keep losing business to Brisbane or Melbourne,” the Minister added.
