Plans for Third Sydney Cruise Ship Terminal Delayed 18 Months

[Stickman1990]

As reported in the SMH today

 

The Berejiklian government will delay plans for a controversial third Sydney cruise terminal for up to 18 months due to the crisis engulfing the cruise industry from the coronavirus pandemic.

The shutdown of the industry is crippling cruise companies worldwide, and raising serious questions about how quickly demand will recover once travel restrictions are eventually lifted. The Ruby Princess debacle in Sydney has also dealt a severe blow to the industry's reputation.

Amid the uncertainty, Transport and Ports Minister Andrew Constance said the proposal for a cruise terminal at Yarra Bay had now been "put on hold with all industry and community engagement suspended".

"[The terminal is] not a priority for government or industry at this time. We're still in the middle of a COVID crisis," he said.

But state and federal Labor, and locals opposed to a $500 million terminal at Yarra Bay or Molineaux Point, next to Port Botany, want the proposal scrapped altogether.

The government and industry's case for building a new terminal has been predicated on demand surging for cruise trips.

Maroubra MP and former state Labor leader Michael Daley said the plans for a terminal at Yarra Bay should be abandoned as the finances of the cruise industry and the state have taken a battering from the impact of coronavirus.

"This government has always shown a willingness to waste taxpayers' money on stupid projects, and proceeding with a cruise terminal at Yarra Bay would be wasteful and irresponsible at the extreme," he said.

 

The share prices of Royal Caribbean and the world's two other largest cruise lines, Carnival and Norwegian, have plunged more than 70 per cent since the start of the year.

The crisis gripping the industry comes eight months after the state's Port Authority revealed it had engaged in "market soundings" with the three largest cruise-lines about a third terminal. It also told a budget estimates hearing in August that Royal Caribbean was willing to contribute money "if there is an appropriate mechanism".

But Mr Daley said the financial hit to Royal Caribbean from coronavirus meant it was now unlikely the company would be willing to tip money into helping pay for the cost of the terminal.

Royal Caribbean said it still held the view that the growth of the cruise industry required another terminal to the east of the Harbour Bridge in Sydney, and it would work with the government to achieve that objective. It did not say whether it was still willing to commit funding, however.

The ports authority had been preparing since September a detailed business case for a potential cruise terminal in the area between Molineaux Point and Yarra Bay. It has already finished a strategic business case, which is the preliminary stage of an infrastructure project.

 

The federal Labor MP for Kingsford Smith, Matt Thistlethwaite, said the state of the cruise industry further undermined the case for a cruise terminal at Yarra Bay. "The economic case was marginal at best but it's now in tatters. The government should just drop it," he said.

Mr Thistlethwaite said the federal and state government budgets were under "enormous pressure" due to the pandemic, and funnelling taxpayer funds into building a cruise terminal, for which the business case was marginal at best, was unjustifiable.

 

"Something like this would be well down the list [of priorities]," he said.

But Cruise Lines International Association said the industry remained committed to supporting the government's process to finalise a business case for a third terminal.

 

The peak industry body said it was too early to determine the impact of coronavirus on wider travel trends, but added that infrastructure planning was a long-term process.

The prospect of a terminal at Botany Bay has sparked criticism about the impact it will have on the local environment, Indigenous cultural practices and planes landing nearby at Sydney Airport.

 

Maria Poulos from the Save Yarra Bay Coalition said it would be "irresponsible" to pursue the project, and the government should instead prioritise essential services such as healthcare.

"A vanity project for the cruise industry should not be high on the list," she said. "This is not the time to be advancing a mega cruise ship project, which in our view was misguided in the first place. It has been hanging over us like a dark cloud."

 

More than two years ago, a reference group chaired by former NSW Liberal leader Peter Collins recommended that the Navy and cruise ships share Garden Island in Sydney Harbour. But a shared facility there was later ruled out by the federal government as unworkable.

 

https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/plans-for-sydney-s-third-cruise-ship-terminal-delayed-for-18-months-20200407-p54hry.html

[MicCanberra]

Not surprising really but then the Government will soon change their minds when there is money to be made.

[lyndarra]

This news should cheer up trussed Rod.

[The_Big_M]

Probably a reasonable realistic time anyway. 

 

No point discussing it now with the situation and emotional responses. So give them time to restart AND then some time for things to settle down and look at it then.

[SeaDog-46]

Both those places are pie in the sky because they are open to the SE swell from the Tasman Sea.

There would need to be a large breakwater built to protect the berth/s & this may obstruct the channel into the bay. 

[Chiliburn]

20 hours ago, lyndarra said:

This news should cheer up trussed Rod.

Where is rod ,he was the life of the party.

[Chiliburn]

9 minutes ago, SeaDog-46 said:

Both those places are pie in the sky because they are open to the SE swell from the Tasman Sea.

There would need to be a large breakwater built to protect the berth/s & this may obstruct the channel into the bay. 

I think it’s exposed to the sea .

[The_Big_M]

NIMBYists out in force again at plans for the reinstating previous wharves at Botany for another boat service... Guess they're taking "Stop the boats" to an ideological extreme.

 

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-06-15/botany-bay-ferry-plan-for-nsw-coronavirus-recovery-causes-divide/12353714

 

 

[MMDown Under]

A lot of people will be happy that the cruise lines are no longer in a position to put pressure on the Government to build an additional expensive cruise terminal in Sydney.  

I have just read an interesting article in Traveller about Caribbean Islands wanting improved financial arrangements with the cruise lines.  In the past, if the islands didn't do what the cruise lines wanted, the threat was they would take their business elsewhere.  They did the same with Alaska, stopping cruising there, forcing Alaska to reverse its proposed tax policy. 

[GUT2407]

5 hours ago, MMDown Under said:

A lot of people will be happy that the cruise lines are no longer in a position to put pressure on the Government to build an additional expensive cruise terminal in Sydney.  

I have just read an interesting article in Traveller about Caribbean Islands wanting improved financial arrangements with the cruise lines.  In the past, if the islands didn't do what the cruise lines wanted, the threat was they would take their business elsewhere.  They did the same with Alaska, stopping cruising there, forcing Alaska to reverse its proposed tax policy. 

But that is business.

[NSWP]

On 4/14/2020 at 5:37 PM, Chiliburn said:

Where is rod ,he was the life of the party.

I was wondering about him and that that other sparkling fellow.🤑I am so concerned.😍

Edited June 19, 2020 by NSWP

[MMDown Under]

On 6/18/2020 at 3:54 PM, GUT2407 said:

But that is business.

So that makes it OK?  What about government using tax payer's money for the greater good, such as public housing?  Have you noticed how many of our politicians were brought up in public housing, including our Federal Leader of the Opposition?  

[Chiliburn]

6 hours ago, NSWP said:

I was wondering about him and that that other sparkling fellow.🤑I am so concerned.😍

When the state government announced the @in rod we trust port botany cruise terminal was going to be delayed , I think he lost interest.

He is probably trying to get that old heap of #hit  he drives going .

[in rod we trust]

no im still here  just dont visit the aussie part of this forum..  

 

that terminal will never get built .  look at the cruise line companies they are going broke.    maybe you blokes on here can chip in and buy a cruise ship they are going for peanuts lol .  no love lost if they go broke , no bailouts and now they are selling off there ships.  cruising wont happen here for at least another couple yrs .  

[By The Bay]

Welcome back Rod. You got your wish.

[Aus Traveller]

5 minutes ago, in rod we trust said:

no im still here  just dont visit the aussie part of this forum..  

 

that terminal will never get built .  look at the cruise line companies they are going broke.    maybe you blokes on here can chip in and buy a cruise ship they are going for peanuts lol .  no love lost if they go broke , no bailouts and now they are selling off there ships.  cruising wont happen here for at least another couple yrs .  

Which cruise line is selling its ships?

[By The Bay]

54 minutes ago, Aus Traveller said:

Which cruise line is selling its ships?

Carnival Corp announced it will be selling 6 ships within 90 days, across it's various brands. No ships were named in their statement in their quarterly report to the stock market. They also announced they would be selling more ships. Source, one of many.

[Kiwi Kruzer]

59 minutes ago, Aus Traveller said:

Which cruise line is selling its ships?

Carnival have announced they are selling 6 ships.....but to who ?

Its quite probable some may end up as scrap.

[Russell21]

9 minutes ago, Kiwi Kruzer said:

Carnival have announced they are selling 6 ships.....but to who ?

Its quite probable some may end up as scrap.

If you read a bit deeper the sales have been in the pipeline well before the current crisis, just the normal turnover of older ships to make way for the newer more economical ones.

[in rod we trust]

https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/news/the-coronavirus-pandemic-has-claimed-its-first-cruise-line/ar-BB15PWUQ

[in rod we trust]

3 hours ago, By The Bay said:

Welcome back Rod. You got your wish.

 

yeah but once i got the taste of victory im after more .. lets hope royal caribbean hit the wall that will be ultimate victory when they go bust. 

 

[Fletch1]

2 hours ago, Kiwi Kruzer said:

Carnival have announced they are selling 6 ships.....but to who ?

Its quite probable some may end up as scrap.

 

My guess would be at least a couple of them will end up here sailing in Australian waters, as what has happened in the past. 

[Chiliburn]

11 hours ago, Kiwi Kruzer said:

Carnival have announced they are selling 6 ships.....but to who ?

Its quite probable some may end up as scrap.

I read somewhere that Pullantur  are gutting out 3 ships of anything that can be sold and off to the scrapyard.

Monarch ,sovereign and Horizon 

[Chiliburn]

9 hours ago, in rod we trust said:

 

yeah but once i got the taste of victory im after more .. lets hope royal caribbean hit the wall that will be ultimate victory when they go bust. 

 

Hey Rod ,the price of scrap is still pretty good. Send that #hit box you drive to the scrapyard. Wouldn’t it be fun to see it going through the shredder. LOL LOL

[gbenjo]

14 hours ago, in rod we trust said:

no im still here  just dont visit the aussie part of this forum..  

 

that terminal will never get built .  look at the cruise line companies they are going broke.    maybe you blokes on here can chip in and buy a cruise ship they are going for peanuts lol .  no love lost if they go broke , no bailouts and now they are selling off there ships.  cruising wont happen here for at least another couple yrs .  

So how come your posting here if you do not visit the Aussie part anymore🤔🤔🤔