By
Alex Smith |
The Port of Townsville in Australia has received its first large cruise ship, Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth, after the completion of its AU$251 million ($155 million) Channel Upgrade project.
At 294 metres, Queen Elizabeth is the largest ship of its type to visit the port. Port Chair Ann Sherry presented a plaque to the ship’s captain Stephen Howarth to mark the maiden visit of the ship.
The two-year Channel Upgrade project saw Townsville’s shipping channel widened from 92 metres to 180 metres at the inshore end, tapering to 120 metres wide in the Sea Channel. Around 3.4 million cubic metres were dredged from the Platypus Channel and Sea Channel by Australian company Hall Contracting to facilitate the expansion.
Port Chair Ann Sherry presented a plaque to Captain Stephen Howarth to mark Queen Elizabeth’s arrival
The completion of the works means that vessels of up to 300 metres in length can now access the port, including large cruise ships. Five more large cruise ships, including vessels from Norwegian Cruise Line and P&O Cruises Australia, are set to visit the port in 2025.