13 April 2022

Revised Eden Port proposal to welcome world's largest cruise ships

| Katrina Condie
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The Port of Eden

Proposed modification to the Port of Eden will allow some of the world’s largest cruise ships to berth in the town. Photo: Port Authority of NSW.

Proposed modifications to the Eden Cruise Wharf could see vessels up to 370 m long and carrying almost 7000 passengers permitted to berth in the port overnight, seven days a week.

As the first cruise ships in two years make their way back to Australian shores, consultation will commence this week to transform the Port of Eden into a destination of choice for some of the world’s largest cruise liners.

The local community and interested groups are invited to provide feedback on the detailed proposal to modify the wharf, which includes increasing the number of vessels permitted to visit the wharf each year and allowing vessels up to 370 m long to berth.

The revised proposal would also permit non-cruise ships greater than 100 m in length to carry out operational activities, such as loading and unloading.

Minister for Transport and Veterans David Elliott says the multi-award winning Eden Welcome Centre is the ocean gateway to the Sapphire Coast and Bega Valley and the upgrades will unlock the region’s full economic potential.

“There has been growing demand from the cruise and shipping industries and the Royal Australian Navy to expand the use of existing facilities,” Mr Elliott says.

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“With Eden strategically located between Sydney, Melbourne and New Zealand cruise destinations, we know there is an appetite for increased cruise visits, and modifications would allow larger vessels to add this beautiful part of NSW to their itineraries.

“We want to support local business and communities by better using the existing infrastructure at Eden to deliver greater economic opportunities for a region that has done it tough over the past few years – through drought, fires and the pandemic.”

While the proposed modifications would allow vessels to stay at berth overnight, seven days a week, the embarking and disembarking of passengers and general cruise ship activities would remain restricted to between 7 am and 10 pm.

Consultation with community groups and stakeholders over the next few weeks will inform an environmental assessment report for planning authorities to consider.

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The cruise industry complements the Sapphire Coast’s existing visitor market of approximately one million visitors per year with cruise passengers spending around $390 per day when on shore.

A $44 million wharf extension was completed in August 2019.

To register interest for updates and to be notified when you can have your say on the proposal, send an email to [email protected]

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This the most positive news for the Far South Coast and Monaro since the original Snowy Hydro Electric Authority was Now Snowy Hydro was established in 1949
If If Snowy Hydro 2 had had the facilities at the Deep Sea Port of Eden they would only have needed a Fast Cargo Train from Eden to Cooma A TEE to Adaminaby and all the heavy equipment would have NOT had to come through the Cooma CBD from Port Kembla
Bega could be Teed into Fast Train 175 km/h and the line could be extended to Canberra
A proposal was put to the Liberal/Nationals NSW State Government by the Cooma Progress Association and an inaccurate Feasibility Study was done by a NSW Government nominated Company that ignored the Riverina and Western NSW Cargo contribution to the Income that could be gained by the Export/Import and gave thumbs Down as TOO EXPENSIVE
The CPAss.also included a Bike Trail running alongside the Existing Rail Line between Queanbeyan and Bombala with a Safety Fence between the Train and the Bike Trail
The potential of combining Sea port to Fast Trains not just passengers Income but Cargoes to Sea Port is where major Revenue would come
It could be summed in these words
INFRUSTRUCTURE Decentralisation Population Industries Primary Producers Produce Transfers And Tourism
The contact I would recommend is Richard Hopkins member of the CPAss.
I am not a member so I remain neutral and only give what I believe is Good Information

Yes, and learn about how Auatralia holds the world record for wildlife extinction!

Fantastic! They could conduct tours of the Eden Chip Mill to showcase the heart of local industry! International visitors could leave our region with newfound knowledge of Australia’s commitment to the environment and climate action — and leave new Covid strains behind them in the process.

Cruise ships are not what they claim to be. The industry makes money on employing crews on dirt cheap wages with any employee benefit through your ‘tips’. Mind you some companies include tips in their prices and “give” them back to the crews, and I wouldn’t trust them.

Also I hope that the Port of Eden has an onshore electrical supply, otherwise the whole port will become polluted whenever a ship sits at dock for any period. Cruise ships are horrible for air quality. Most run on heavy, dirty fossil fuels that have been linked to breathing problems and cancer. And cruise ships must run constantly. I remember being in Iceland one time and as the cruise ship made its way up the Fjord, a plume of black acrid smoke followed the cruise ship for 5kms. And I mean all at once; there was no wind and it hung in the air along the whole length of the fjord, and at the wharf. It was disgusting.

As quoted from Friends of the Earth:

While many people think the added tourism improves the local economy, the majority of the businesses are operated by large corporations instead of local merchants. Cruise lines have devastated local economies — forcing those who once were successful business owners to abandon their own businesses filled with local culture and reinvent themselves to conform to tourist-friendly options.

So the claim is cruise passengers spending around $390 per day when on shore. I don’t believe that will be the case. The other way that cruise ships work, is to have their passengers spend on board, so anything that they don’t get will be seen as lost income, and they will then aim to work out how they can get that back. Big corporations never give anything away, let alone pay any wages or taxes!!

These points may appear, I don’t know, angry, vindictive and holding something against the idea of cruise ships, but let me tell you, cruise ships are one of the biggest environmental disasters going around and the Bega Valley Shire won’t see a nett benefit of any worth, just the crumbs off the back of huge corporations.

What a shame for Eden. Cruise ships are the biggest POLLUTERS because they use very crude oil. Passengers meals are included in their fares so they eat on board, not in local cafes and restaurants. The people of Venice, Dubrovnik, Barcelona hate the invading masses from these ships. Eden residents will eventually regret these cruise ships ruining their quiet, clean region.

I agree with Mary we’ve witnessed the devastation these huge cruise ships cause on small towns and remote areas. I think Eden will become more like hell. Everything about them is regrettable, their size, pollution to oceans and waterways, huge numbers of people who may not be remotely interested in Eden. I doubt it will be of any long term benefit to the region. These huge cruise ships should be discouraged.

Great news. Good for the town

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