Plymouth鈥檚 Trinity Pier is set to become a major berth for cruise ships as the city ramps up its ambition to be a leading destination for visiting vessels post-lockdown.
The new Visitor Plan envisages the city becoming a 鈥減remier destination鈥 for cruise ships during the next five years with key locations for boats to arrive and leave at Millbay Docks.
Trinity Pier, where , is earmarked as a berth for vessels up to 150m in length, and at the opposite side of the dock ships as large as 220m are able to pull alongside, with even larger vessels anchored in the Sound.
At Associated British Ports-owned Trinity Pier, demolition work has been progressing to remove a gigantic warehouse so the area can become, due to take place on July 17 and 18.
Amanda Lumley, executive director of Destination Plymouth and co-chair of the Great South West Tourism Partnership, said that once the event is over the long-term vision for the pier is for it to become an embarkation and arrival point for cruises.
Revamping the pier would also improve the access for residents and enhance the 鈥渁mbience of the waterside鈥, according to the Visitor Plan.
鈥淭hey are removing the sheds for SailGP so the yachts can be craned into the water,鈥 Mrs Lumley said. 鈥淏ut long-term the plan is to use it for expedition-type voyages, maybe starting in the 海角视频.鈥
She gave the example of 鈥渨hale-watching鈥 trips to the waters off Norway, and said: 鈥淢aybe for 150 passengers, embarking from Plymouth but with an overnight stay that will put money into the economy.鈥
She said the main berth at Millbay can accommodate vessels up to 220m in length, with Brittany Ferries鈥 new 215m-long ferry Galicia having visited the berth already.
And Mrs Lumley added: 鈥淲e are actively encouraging some larger vessels to anchor at three anchorages in the Sound, with a tender connecting to Commercial Wharf.鈥
The newly published Visitor Plan 2020 to 2030 sets out a key objective to increase capacity for cruise ships with the 鈥渙pportunity to grow the cruise market particularly for specialist embarkations/small vessels and superyachts sub 150m鈥.
It wants to increase the number of day visitors to the city and improve the port welcome and perception/branding of Plymouth as 鈥渁 place to do business/invest and education not just visit for leisure鈥.
The plan said there are also aims of encouraging use of ferries for international visitors, reducing carbon footprint by bringing visitors on ferries and cruises rather than from flying in, and the opportunity to extend the cycling/walking routes with Millbay Port linking with the national coast path.
It said: 鈥淭here has long been an ambition to improve the sense of arrival and cruise/ferry services available to passengers at Millbay port.
鈥淭his project will see improved capacity for traffic and transport, more streamlined border controls, better accessibility and visitor welcome service for cruise and ferry passengers off both the berth and tendering in.
鈥淭his project will also support our carbon neutral ambitions by encouraging visitors to travel by ferry/cruise rather than fly to the region.
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鈥淗igher volumes of ships will be achievable through a second smaller berth facility at Trinity Pier which will also improve the access and ambience of the waterside for visitors and local residents.鈥
The cruise industry was hammered by the Covid pandemic, with having to be cancelled in 2020.
But Mrs Lumley said it is possible up to 10 cruises could stop at Plymouth in 2021 and said: 鈥淚t would be great to have them. There is strong demand. And people like Disney are saying they are interested in coming next year.鈥
Currently, Tradewind Voyages is advertising a stop at Plymouth in August 2021, as part of a trip along the English south coast, also stopping at Dartmouth, Falmouth and the Isles of Scilly. The same company is taking bookings for trips to Lisbon and Rotterdam, stopping in Plymouth, in 2022.
鈥淲e are continuing to have conversations with cruise operators, who are waiting for Government advice, but they could start from April for trips around the British Isles. Some operators are looking at that,鈥 Mrs Lumley said.
