TALKS are under way to secure “significant investment” for upgrading Liverpool’s Pier Head to become a base for cruise liners to start and finish their journeys, it emerged last night.
Liverpool City Council (LCC) and Peel Ports – which owns Mersey Docks and Harbour Company (MDHC) – are negotiating for baggage handling facilities, Customs, or immigration services to be developed near the Cruise Liner Terminal.
Previous negotiations with MDHC, which acts as the harbour authority and commercial port authority, collapsed because the cost to the council and cruise operators would have been “unviable”.
“In October of this year, Peel Ports reopened negotiations with LCC in respect of operating turnaround facilities at the Cruise Liner Terminal,” a council briefing paper states.
“These negotiations are progressing well and are expected to lead to a significant level of investment in the creation of a new baggage handling facility close and a commercially acceptable proposal to deliver turnaround facilities.”
In November, it emerged cruise operators TUI decided it was not proceeding with plans to introduce Liverpool into its Thomson Cruises schedule after two test visits.
As there are no baggage handling facilities, Customs, or immigration available to service the Cruise Liner Terminal, voyages starting or ending their journey have to use Langton terminal, in Bootle, which is in a heavily industrialised area.
It is deep in north Liverpool’s freight dock system, rather than the new terminal next to the Pier Head which is in the shadow of the historic Three Graces.
Liverpool’s Regeneration Select Committee is due to debate the matter tonight.
The question of providing “turnaround” facilities at the £20m Cruise Liner Terminal, is complicated because of the public money used to build the landing stage.
Council officers said last month they were worried it could lead to other ports in the UK and Europe claiming they were at an unfair disadvantage and the money having to be paid back.
Steve Broomhead, chief executive of the North West Development Agency (which helped fund the terminal), has already said he believes this can be overcome.
A briefing paper to the committee states the council previously sought legal advice, and was told it was not “permitted to provide turnaround facilities for the Cruise Liner Terminal”.
