BRISBANE INTERNATIONAL CRUISE TERMINAL ACHIEVES MILESTONE

Since opening on 2 June 2022, the Brisbane International Cruise Terminal (BICT) has recorded over two million passenger movements, marking a significant milestone for the terminal. The achievement was reached on Saturday, 18 January 2025, with the arrival of the Pacific Encounter—the 346th cruise ship to call at the BICT. Passenger movements include embarking and disembarking guests as well as transit visitors spending the day in Brisbane.

Port of Brisbane CEO Neil Stephens described the accomplishment as a testament to the terminal's critical role in Queensland's cruise tourism industry.

"Reaching two million passenger movements through our world-class terminal highlights the vital role of BICT in driving cruise tourism for Queensland," Mr. Stephens said.

"In the past year, we've invested in enhancing the terminal by expanding onsite car parking, increasing shade for outdoor seating areas, and boosting taxi rank capacity. We also partnered with First Nations artist Delvene Cockatoo-Collins to create From Land to Sea, a stunning 660-metre artwork in our car park for passengers to enjoy."

Mr. Stephens added that the cruise industry continues to thrive, with Brisbane set to welcome over 150 cruise calls from 13 different lines during the 2024/25 season, running from 1 October 2024 to 30 September 2025.

"Each vessel call contributes around $1 million to the state's economy and supports regional communities when ships visit other Queensland ports," he said. "Every call involves the hard work of approximately 130 staff from our partners, including cruise crew, stevedores, security, border agencies, baggage handlers, café and retail operators, cleaners, and our port team. We are grateful for the continued support from our cruise industry partners and Queensland's cruising community."

Carnival Corporation & plc Senior Vice President and Country Manager Peter Little praised the terminal's role in the growth of Queensland's cruise industry.

"Carnival's long-term partnership with the world-class Brisbane International Cruise Terminal has been instrumental in the success of Queensland's growing cruise industry," Mr. Little said. "As we prepare for an exciting expansion in March with Pacific Encounter joining our fleet as Carnival Encounter, we look forward to delivering unforgettable holidays from Brisbane year-round."