New London Cruise Terminal Receives Approval

The London City Cruise Port will reportedly be completed by 2017 and will be able to handle up to 60 cruise ships a year.

Plans for a Greenwich, London cruise terminal, known as London City Cruise Port, have been approved by the local planning authority, maritime 360 reports.

The facility, set to be constructed at the Enderby Wharf on the Greenwich peninsula, will reportedly be completed by 2017 and will be able to handle up to 60 cruise ships a year, accommodating vessels up to 240m long with a 8m draught.

"We've wanted to see such a facility for a long time and have supported the developers throughout the planning stages,"said Martin Garside, official with the Port of London Authority .

"It will give the Thames three cruise terminals: London International Cruise Terminal at Tilbury, operated by Forth Ports; a second just upriver of Tower Bridge for smaller cruise vessels; and now this.

"Of course, there is already a cruise facility at Greenwich Ship Pier, but passengers have to be tendered from ships, which is not the case with the new terminal."

Plans for the cruise terminal were said to be originally granted in 2012, but a revised application was developed to include additional turnaround facilities, two residential towers, and other amendments.

The project, which still requires mayoral approval, has reportedly received opposition from neighbouring council Tower Hamlets and residents' associations who are concerned about noise, disturbance and air pollution resulting from the project.

Some opposition groups have reportedly demanded shore-based power be made available for visiting cruise liners instead of the plan's proposal for use of onboard diesel generators, noting that generators on medium-sized cruise ships can burn approximately 700 litres of diesel per hour.

Greenwich Council has said that an environmental statement (ES) had been submitted with the planning application.

"It is considered that the proposed development is acceptable in environmental terms, subject to mitigation measures identified within the ES," said the Greenwich Council.

Denise Hyland, leader of the Greenwich Council, commenting on the environmental concerns, said "the new scheme has much better arrangements for the passenger terminal."

"It is now completely self-contained, improving transport arrangements and reducing noise in the local area."

In June, it was reported that Rotterdam-based cruise operator Holland America Group (HAG) says that striving to reduce emissions and waste is the natural choice for cruise ships as "sustainability will earn itself back."