This follows a trial of ShoreTension units, developed by Netherlands company K.R.V.E. with the Port Authority of Rotterdam, in Geraldton last year.
‘A number of options have been looked at to address the issue of the long-wave, or surge, in Geraldton Port,’ local Member of Parliament, Ian Blayney, said at the time. ‘I am very excited about the potential of the ShoreTension units trialled at Geraldton Port.’
Blayney said solving the surge problem would be ‘a real shot-in-the-arm’ for Geraldton tourism.
‘The days of cancelled cruise ship visits are now numbered,’ City of Greater Geraldton mayor, Shane Van Styn, said announcing the decision to go ahead with the STUs.
‘Last financial year 14 cruise ships visited Geraldton where almost 16,000 passengers came ashore and spent more than A$4.1m in Geraldton and the midwest region', Van Styn said.
‘Regrettably, over the last four years 18 cruise ships cancelled their visits on the day of arrival due to poor anchorage conditions which resulted in an estimated A$6.2m loss in economic activity.’
He said the STUs, which apply constant mooring line pressure to dampen the movement of moored vessels, will allow cruise ships to dock and disembark passengers safely in the vast majority of sea conditions.
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