Cruise passengers would be landed near a container terminal and clogged airport roads under an ambitious proposal to build a new passenger terminal at Botany Bay.
One of the world's largest cruise companies, Royal Caribbean International, wants a new passenger terminal at Botany Bay capable of handling the newest generation of mega cruise ships carrying 3000 to 6000 or more passengers.
The company's commercial manager, Adam Armstrong, said provisioning ships at the Overseas Passenger Terminal near Circular Quay was difficult and crowded
And only four of the company's 44 cruise ships could fit under the Harbour Bridge to travel to White Bay, where the new cruise terminal will be located.
"A solution east of the bridge is urgently required," he said.
Royal Caribbean approached the Minister for Ports, Duncan Gay, with its proposal a few months ago, a spokesman for the minister said.
Mr Gay visited the Port Botany site with company executives, but he said any decision about whether Port Botany was used as a cruise terminal was "really a decision for the stevedore lessees".
Port Botany includes two container terminals with six container vessel berths, operated by Patrick Ports and Stevedoring and DP World. A third company, Hutchison Port Holdings - one of the world's largest port operators - is building a new container terminal as part of the $1 billion Port Botany Expansion project.
Hutchison's spokesman, Pat Wilson, said the company was well advanced in developing its new container terminal which would have a high level of automation.
"Passenger and container terminals, particularly those with a high level of automation, don't mix," he said.
Would arriving in Port Botany have the same wow factor as arriving in Circular Quay?
Mr Armstrong conceded that it would not be as glamorous but it would be far more efficient to land passengers at Port Botany than Circular Quay.
Botany had "excellent road, rail and airport links which would avoid navigating the busy streets of Sydney's CBD".
He said it would also make it easier to load fuel and stores on trucks, which was problematic in the CBD.
The company's proposal did not get the support of Ann Sherry, the chief executive of Carnival Cruises.
"Spectacular cruise ship arrivals and departures from Sydney Harbour are integral to the cruise holiday experience and have contributed to the remarkable growth of cruising in Australia in recent years and its growing economic contribution," she said.
The NSW government believes the booming cruise industry, which has benefited from cut-price berthing of only $250 an hour in the past five years, should fund any additional infrastructure.
Australians love to cruise
Celebrity Solstice facts
Meals prepared every day 13,000
Daily weight gain by the average passenger about half a kilo
Beds made 2852 (beds are made twice daily)
Number of eggs eaten every day 2880
Chefs required 162
Height 63m
Size of indoor atrium 13 decks
Length 318m
Maximum number of passengers 3145
Crew 1250
The ship has a vodka bar with 100s of different vodkas and cocktail bar specialising in molecular cocktails.
Each visit to Sydney the Celebrity Solstice spends more than $500,000 on fresh fruit and vegetables and other local specialties, including fish.
SOURCE: ROYAL CARIBBEAN.
Industry facts
Days Australians spent at sea in 2011 6.42m (4.72 million in 2010 and 3.45 milion in 2008)
Total cruise expenditure by Australians $943.7m
Cost to berth a ship like the Celebrity Solstice $3000 for the average 12-hour berthing period
Cost to berth Celebrity Solstice from July 1, 2013 $56,610 (fee changes from per hour to per passenger rate of $18 in first year)
No of Aussies who took a cruise holiday in 2011 623,294
States that cruise: 40% New South Wales, followed by
24.3% Queensland and 16.3% Victoria
Top destination New Zealand (up 700% since 2007)
Most popular length of cruise 8 to 14 days
SOURCES: INTERNATIONAL CRUISE COUNCIL OF AUSTRALASIA,
SYDNEY PORTS AND DELOITTE ACCESS ECONOMICS.
Frequently Asked Questions about this Article…
What is Royal Caribbean proposing for a new Port Botany cruise terminal?
Royal Caribbean International has proposed building a new passenger terminal at Botany Bay (Port Botany) able to handle the newest generation of mega cruise ships carrying roughly 3,000 to 6,000+ passengers. The company says provisioning at the Overseas Passenger Terminal near Circular Quay is crowded and that a solution east of the Harbour Bridge is urgently required because most of its fleet cannot pass under the bridge to existing terminals.
Who currently operates Port Botany's container terminals and what expansion is underway?
Port Botany already includes two container terminals with six container vessel berths operated by Patrick Ports and Stevedoring and DP World. A third operator, Hutchison Port Holdings, is building a new automated container terminal as part of a reported $1 billion Port Botany expansion project.
Would passenger cruise terminals and container terminals be compatible at Port Botany?
According to Hutchison Port Holdings’ spokesman, passenger and container terminals—especially ones with a high level of automation—don't mix well. The article notes this operational concern as part of the debate over whether Port Botany should host a cruise terminal.
How did Carnival Cruises react to the proposal to move cruise operations to Port Botany?
Carnival Cruises’ chief executive Ann Sherry opposed the Port Botany proposal, arguing that spectacular cruise ship arrivals and departures from Sydney Harbour (Circular Quay) are integral to the cruise holiday experience and have supported cruising's growth and economic contribution in Australia.
Who would make the final decision about using Port Botany as a cruise terminal?
The article says Royal Caribbean approached the NSW Minister for Ports, Duncan Gay, and the minister visited the site. However, Mr Gay indicated any decision about using Port Botany as a cruise terminal is really for the stevedore lessees (the terminal operators) to decide.
What are the berthing costs and recent changes to cruise berthing fees mentioned in the article?
The article states past cut‑price berthing was about $250 an hour. It also gives specific examples: berthing a ship like Celebrity Solstice was estimated at $3,000 for an average 12‑hour period, while a later fee change (from July 1, 2013) was cited as $56,610 for Celebrity Solstice with a move from hourly to a per‑passenger rate of $18 in the first year.
What economic benefits do cruise ships provide to Sydney and local suppliers?
The article highlights direct local spending—for example, each visit of Celebrity Solstice to Sydney spends more than $500,000 on fresh fruit, vegetables and other local specialties including fish. Broader industry figures in the article include total cruise expenditure by Australians of about $943.7 million and 623,294 Australians taking a cruise holiday in 2011.
Why do proponents say Port Botany would be more efficient than Circular Quay for cruise operations?
Royal Caribbean’s commercial manager noted Port Botany has excellent road, rail and airport links that would avoid navigating busy CBD streets, and it would make it easier to load fuel and stores on trucks. While arrivals at Port Botany might be less glamorous than Circular Quay, proponents argue the site would be far more efficient for provisioning and logistics.
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