The new Brisbane International Cruise Terminal in Pinkenba is preparing to welcome the first cruise passengers to use the facilities, as cruising activities restart after a two-year pause.
The Pinkenba facility was raring to establish Queensland as the country’s cruise ship capital when the $180-million development of the Brisbane International Cruise Terminal finished in early 2020. However, due to border closures, not a single cruise ship docked at the state-of-the-art facility.
But as the Federal Government announced, the ban on cruises will be lifted by 17 April 2022, consistent with the reopening of Australia’s international borders. Port of Brisbane Pty Ltd, the operators of the Pinkenba site, also confirmed that the terminal will open on 2 June 2022.
Port of Brisbane CEO Neil Stephens said that they are finalising the health protocols before the terminal is expected to welcome P&O’s Pacific Explorer as the first cruise ship to arrive in Queensland.
Mr Stephens welcomes the restart as it’s a much-needed boost for the state’s tourism industry. It will also provide more jobs for Queenslanders.
Dan Tehan, the Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment, on the other hand, said that this was an important milestone in Australia’s response to COVID-19.
“This is great news for the cruise industry, tourism, the broader economy and the Australians who love to take a cruise holiday,” Mr Tehan said.
“The resumption of cruising is another key step forward in the tourism sector’s recovery from COVID-19.
“We look forward to welcoming cruise ships and passengers back to Australian waters.”
For details about the cruise terminal, visit its official FAQs page.