Unsettled weather seesnine cruise cancellations

The STSB has responsibility for Guernsey Harbours and Deputy Charles Parkinson said that while something like a deep water berth could allow ships to disembark passengers in all weathers, the HAA would need to be dealt with first.

This is one of the areas of priority in the Policy and Resource Plan, and in the recently published update, the Development and Planning Authority said that it was working with other States departments to push this forwards.

Economic Development’s section of the P&R plan said that a working party was established at the end of last year, and a staff- level working group has now been set up too.

‘The priorities are now to develop a business case for resourcing and funding the programme setting out the high-level benefits accrued from States of Guernsey investment through buying in the skills needed to prepare the groundwork for redevelopment and the delivery of development and to develop a programme plan to enable the Development & Planning Authority to deliver a local planning brief to the States (by Q2 2018),’ said ED in the report.

Deputy Parkinson said it could take up to two years for a plan to be finalised, but at the same time there was a seafront working party which is looking at options around St Peter Port and the eastern seaboard and how to maximise its value.

‘Clearly a deep water berth would be a massively expensive investment,’ he said.

• The latest cruise ship cancellation was last Wednesday when the Royal Princess pulled out of its planned visit.

It was the seventh ship to cancel specifically due to the weather, with one not giving a reason and one due to its itinerary being changed.

The weekend’s schedule was unaffected, with the Norwegian Jade and Le Soleal visiting on Saturday and the Sapphire Princess yesterday.