Wollongong steps up bid to become third Sydney cruise port with industry backing

• Wollongong City Council has submitted a prospectus, outlining why they believe Port Kembla should be the location for Sydney’s third cruise port.
• They have formed a task force dedicated to making this a reality, which includes key industry voices like the Managing Director of CLIA and CEO of the Australian Cruise Association.
• Wollongong argues it is the only solution that makes sense.

Wollongong is stepping up its campaign to make Port Kembla into Sydney’s third cruise port, and the industry is getting behind them.

The search for a third Sydney cruise port has been debated for decades, and finding a solution is the near future is essential to guarantee the growth of the cruise industry in New South Wales and Australia as a whole.

The Wollongong City Council has released a new report that details their bid to become a cruise port for Sydney and take advantage of the “golden opportunity” of Sydney’s search for a third cruise terminal. Wollongong has formed the Cruise Wollongong Taskforce, which recently met and affirmed its commitment towards its goal of establishing Port Kembla as the third cruise port of Sydney.

Lord Mayor of Wollongong and Taskforce Chair Tania Brown said: “As the cruise industry continues to grow in NSW and there is increasing pressure on existing cruise ship infrastructure, there’s a golden opportunity for us to work together with government and industry to put the plans in place to help secure the future of cruise in NSW.

“Yes, there are infrastructure improvements that would be needed to support a cruise terminal in our city, but this isn’t a prospectus for change overnight.

“This is about securing the long-term future of cruise in NSW. With cruise visitation in NSW forecast to grow to 2.3 million passengers per annum by 2033, we are setting out our long-term intentions and saying ‘we believe we are the right choice’.”

The Member for Wollongong, Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully MP says that ever since a committee was established to pick a new Sydney cruise terminal, she’s believed Port Kembla is the logical choice.

“The Minns Government established the Cruise Industry Advisory Panel to determine the best solutions to grow cruise in NSW and I believe Wollongong and the Illawarra has a strong case to be at the front of the queue for NSW’s next cruise terminal.

“As the NSW Government works to grow the visitor economy to generate more economic activity and jobs, Wollongong will be a part of this growth and adding Port Kembla as a turnaround port, connected to airports at Mascot, Shellharbour and soon Western Sydney, is a commonsense option.”

 Australian Cruise Association CEO Jill Abel has also thrown her weight behind the proposal: “The Australian Cruise Association (ACA) strongly supports Wollongong City Council and the Cruise Wollongong Taskforce’s work in pursuing a dedicated cruise terminal at Port Kembla.”

The Cruise Wollongong Taskforce not only includes Abel, but also Joel Katz, the Managing Director of the Cruise Lines International Association Australia, as well as the Mayors and MP’s of several surrounding towns such as Shellharbour, Kiama, Shoalhaven, Camden and more.

Wollongong’s case for Port Kembla

The Wollongong City Council report presents several key arguments as to why it believes Port Kembla is the optimal gateway for NSW and Sydney cruises.

The first being that it believes it has the optimal location for a new port.

“The Port provides the perfect location for a cruise terminal and turnaround port for the cruise industry that would cater directly to the domestic cruise travel market

“It is located less than 90 minutes from Greater Sydney via road or rail, with direct motorway connections and ongoing upgrades to the South Coast rail line enhancing accessibility.

“The Port is situated close to Shellharbour Airport (Regional Airport for the Illawarra),
less than 90 minutes from Sydney Airport and Western Sydney Airport and within two hours of Canberra Airport.”

The report also argues that given that port already receives large commercial vessels, with limited investment it could also be equipped to take large cruise ships. Furthermore, it doesn’t have the concern of sharing military space, such as the other options that have been suggested.

“The Port currently handles commercial vessels with potential capacity for cruise berthing, which could be adapted for passenger use with minor capital investment.

“Unlike Garden Island or Port Botany, Port Kembla is free of competing military or container operations, offering flexibility in scheduling and turnaround logistics.”

Beyond this, the city believes it has more than enough tourism offerings to bring something new to cruise passengers.

“Beyond infrastructure, Wollongong is a thriving regional city with a highly attractive visitor
experience. The region offers escarpment lookouts, coastal drives, pristine beaches, tourist attractions (including a wildlife park and action park), award-winning food and wine, and rich Aboriginal cultural heritage, all within 30 minutes of the Port.”

Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) said in a statement: “Cruise is vital part of Australia’s tourism economy and CLIA has long encouraged the development of comprehensive plans to support its prosperity and growth in locations around the country.

“The industry welcomes efforts by destinations like Wollongong to plan for the future and develop strategies to foster cruise tourism and the employment it creates. 

“While CLIA does not favour any one particular location for additional cruise ship operations, the industry looks forward to evaluating any detailed proposals that may be put forward by the Cruise Wollongong Taskforce.”

What comes next?

While deliberations will continue over which location will be chosen, Wollongong has made the only high-profile bid.

They laid out a five-step plan to action, which would begin with the NSW government recognising Port Kembla as the preferred location for a Sydney cruise port.

1. NSW Government to recognise Wollongong as the preferred location for a turnaround port and
   Commission a feasibility study for cruise terminal development at Port Kembla.
2. Assess capital investment required for port-side infrastructure upgrades, including parking solutions and a multi-use facility which would host customs and passenger processing facilities and be available for other uses.
3. Engagement with cruise lines to develop, implement and schedule pilot turnaround services and acceptable dockside support services.
4. Commence destination marketing collaboration to prepare local experiences, transport,
   accommodation options and opportunities for visitors pre and post cruise.
5. Audit of current accommodation facilities and shuttle services for cruise passengers and strategy for the inclusion of cruise-based accommodation in the development of accommodation services across the Illawarra region.