Australia’s largest cruise organisation, Carnival Australia today hailed progress in the $232 million Townsville channel upgrade describing it as a positive investment for the future. Sture Myrmell, President of Carnival Australia and P&O Cruises Australia, said the project, funded by the Federal and Queensland Governments, offered the prospect of a bright future for the region by offering better access for a wide variety of shipping.
Mr Myrmell said he was pleased that the Queensland Minister for Transport and Main Roads Mark Bailey had specifically mentioned improved access to the port for cruise ships of up to 300 metres in length.
“Completion of the rock wall is a significant landmark and it is great to see that the Federal and Queensland Governments are looking beyond current challenges and taking a long term view in which cruise shipping can play an integral part in the maritime economy,” Mr Myrmell said.
“This is very encouraging as we look to both governments in the more immediate future to support the establishment of a pathway for the resumption of cruising beginning with domestic itineraries.
“The ambitious Townsville project, combined with other infrastructure initiatives, such as the new Brisbane International Cruise Terminal, underwritten by Carnival Australia, and the dredging of Trinity Inlet in Cairns, means that Queensland is ideally placed to make the most of the recovery of cruise tourism.”
The Townsville channel project is the biggest in the history of the city with completion of the 2.2km rock wall the first stage of the massive investment in which the port will become an important gateway to northern Australia. The project is regarded as a key element of the post covid recovery plan in Queensland.
.jpg){kind=tracking}
