This majestic ocean liner will again grace our shores.
Port News: Durban port to open North Pier for Queen Mary 2 visit (http://ports.co.za)
Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) has agreed to reopen the base end of the North Pier to the public for the visit next Monday (7 February) of the Cunard cruise liner QUEEN MARY 2.
The 150,000-gross ton passenger ship is making her second visit to South Africa and will be arriving in Cape Town this Friday, 4 February. When she called at Durban and Cape Town in 2010 on her maiden visit to South Africa large crowds in their thousands turned out in both ports to welcome and later say farewell to the grand ship.
More of the same is expected this time round and in Durban port management have agreed to open the North Pier to give the public an excellent vantage point as the ship makes her way along the entrance channel. She is expected to arrive in port between 6am and 7am and will depart again that afternoon at 6pm.
The North Pier has remained closed to the public since construction of the widened entrance channel was completed early last year. TNPA says this is because it remains a construction site, with working pending on the sand pumping scheme. Another reason is that of a legal dispute between TNPA and the local fishing clubs, which have taken the matter of being banned from the piers to the port regulator.
Queen Mary 2 will visit South Africa for a third time in 2012, once again during her World Cruise.
Tracking as at 13:30, 02 Feb 2011:
Satellite tracking from http://www.seascanner.com
