CRUISE
MAKING BRISBANE FUTURE-READY
Credit: Port of Brisbane Pty Ltd (PBPL)
A new green cruise terminal development at the Port of Brisbane is confirming the port’s emerging identity as a significant player in the Australian cruise market, writes Michele Witthaus
Long-term solution As the global cruise vessel fleet continued to increase in size, Brisbane risked being bypassed if it did not have a long-term solution to welcoming larger vessels. Working with government and cruise industry stakeholders, including government and the cruise industry, Port of Brisbane Pty Ltd (PBPL) identified the most suitable site in Brisbane that could accommodate these larger vessels, at the mouth of the Brisbane River at Pinkenba. “From an economic and social perspective, our focus was on working with the cruise industry and government to design and deliver a facility that would support the cruise tourism industry now and help it to grow in the future. “By ensuring the terminal can accommodate the largest ocean-going vessels, that means the cruise industry will continue to call in Brisbane and bring with it the economic and tourism benefits that will support local jobs and related industries. We also have a formal partnership with local government to promote Brisbane tourism at the cruise terminal and have continued to liaise with the local residential community throughout the construction process.”
20 | SPRING 2022
Green design From an environmental perspective, the BICT building incorporated sustainable design principles (developed collaboratively with PBPL’s lead designer Arup and architect Arkhefield) that embrace Brisbane’s subtropical climate and lifestyle and deliver positive sustainability outcomes. “Sustainability was considered well before construction, starting with the condition of the site itself,” says Mr Stephens. “The cruise facility was developed on degraded greenfield land, so early challenges included increasing the resilience of the site to sea level rise and flooding, due to its geographic location on the Brisbane River.” This careful planning paid dividends during the severe February/March 2022 flooding in Brisbane, with no impact to the terminal building or site despite the Brisbane River rises. Brisbane’s subtropical climate was also a key factor that would impact a range of things including the building’s design, material consumption, current and future energy use and, importantly, passenger comfort. “In terms of the building’s design, significant consideration was given to the building’s orientation, natural lighting and sun shading to maximise natural light and improve the user experience while reducing reliance on alternative energy sources and associated pollution,” says Mr Stephens. 8 Plaza area at the Brisbane International Cruise Terminal
Credit: Port of Brisbane Pty Ltd (PBPL)
Identifying a long-term, sustainable solution to supporting and growing Brisbane’s cruise tourism industry is at the heart of the Brisbane International Cruise Terminal (BICT) development, says Neil Stephens, chief executive officer, Port of Brisbane Pty Ltd (PBPL). He believes that, with the resumption of cruising now given the green light by the Australian and Queensland governments from June, the BICT is primed to be the epicentre of Australia’s cruise recovery story. “The BICT was developed out of a pressing need identified by the cruise industry to ensure that Brisbane, Queensland’s capital, had a terminal able to accommodate the mega cruise ships (longer than 270 metres) that were seeking to call in the city,” he says. “Brisbane faced a challenge in that mega cruise ships had to call at the Port of Brisbane’s cargo port and could not access the existing cruise facility further upstream.”
8 An aerial view of the Port of Brisbane
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