Building £65m cruise terminal next to The Deep in Hull 'won't have big impact' on wildlife

Specialists were brought in more than a year ago to assess claims that the construction and operation of the terminal would stress The Deep’s occupants, including its popular gentoo penguins.

The “Cruise Hull Yorkshire” plans envisage huge ships docking off Sammy’s Point, next to The Deep, which breeds some of the rarest species in the world.

An update in a council report says the project “has reached a stage where the site is confirmed.”

It adds that many of the impacts have been assessed, including noise and vibration and on water quality, fish populations and marine mammals and birds.

It states: “The results show no significant impacts, however continued monitoring through surveys is required.”

The well-known visitor attraction, which normally gets around 460,000 visitors a year and employs 160 staff, has objected to the terminal - a key part of the City Plan - over a range of concerns, including the long-term impact on the aquarium’s animals to increased traffic congestion.

It is feared that noise from engines, horns and loud tannoy announcements could startle and stress the penguins, while pile driving during construction had killed fish in the wild, experts warned.

However on Monday council leader Steve Brady said the site next to The Deep was the “only feasible one”, adding: “The fact of the matter is there is noise and vibration from passing traffic in the river”.

The report says the planning application will be developed over the next three years, using consultants, at a cost of up to £1m.

It also reveals that more than £750,000 has been spent so far on developing the scheme.

The report says the terminal, pontoon and bridge designs have reached an advanced stage.

Coun Brady said he was convinced that the cruise industry had a bright future, adding: “We absolutely know it’s the right thing for Hull, and prior to the pandemic places like Liverpool have absolutely prospered because of cruise ships.”

Last July Cruise and Maritime Voyages which operated half-a-dozen cruises a year from Hull to the Baltic, British Isles and Norwegian fjords, reportedly went into administration after failing to find funding to weather the pandemic.

The 1965 Marco Polo, the only one in its fleet able to get through the lockgates into King George Dock was reportedly heading to India last month to be scrapped. In January P&O Ferries axed its “loss-making” mini-cruise services to Zeebrugge from Hull, and both the Pride of York and Pride of Bruges ferries are up for sale.

An industry specialist said “not everyone wants to travel to Southampton” to board a cruise, and having a terminal in Hull would be “fantastic”.

Some of the bigger ships carry 5,000 passengers and up to 2,500 crew, and some guests would choose to stay overnight. Major cruise lines are planning restarts in various phases in 2021.

“The industry will come back stronger once the vaccinations kick in,” he added.