SC

Cruise Ship War: Waiting On A Verdict

We addressed the cruise ship war raging in Charleston, S.C. last summer … and haven’t mentioned it since. Why not? Because it’s boring. Even when tart tongues like ours weigh in … Bottom line? “Downtowners” in the Holy City don’t want fanny pack, flip-flop wearing lower class tourists infesting their…

We addressed the cruise ship war raging in Charleston, S.C. last summer … and haven’t mentioned it since.

Why not? Because it’s boring. Even when tart tongues like ours weigh in …

Bottom line? “Downtowners” in the Holy City don’t want fanny pack, flip-flop wearing lower class tourists infesting their pristine mecca – which is why they’ve filed suit against Carnival cruise line (and against the state agency seeking to build the company a new $35 million terminal).

In pursuit of this effort these peninsular aristocrats have employed a revolving set of arguments. The first argument was that one of these Carnival cruise ships killed a whale – although it was later determined the whale was dead before the ship hit it. Next the Downtowners claimed the ships were discharging poo in the harbor – although it was later determined no violations of this sort had occurred (i.e. no “chode encounters of the turd kind”). When that didn’t work, these South-of-Broaders claimed the ship’s smokestacks were belching soot on downtown Charleston piazzas and ruining certain folks’ afternoon mint juleps – which is curious considering the fuel burned by Carnival is cleaner than ever.

The latest Downtowner position? They simply want the Carnival ships moved to the S.C. State Ports Authority’s Columbus Street Terminal – closer to black neighborhoods (where concerns about whales, poo and soot are moot, apparently).

Anyway, a special judge has recommended dismissing eight of the ten claims against Carnival – and the S.C. Supreme Court is expected to rule on those recommendations any day now. Meanwhile the S.C. Coastal Conservation League (SCCCL) – which is carrying the Downtowners’ water on this issue – has sued to block state and federal permits for the new facility, which is being paid for with public revenue bonds.

Obviously we object to even one cent of taxpayer indebtedness going toward any sort of terminal – cruise, container or otherwise.

“Government shouldn’t be involved in any facet of the cruise ship business,” we wrote last summer. “Our state should be seeking to leverage private capital for projects like this … just as it should be leveraging private capital to pay for new container traffic infrastructure.”

Our views on that front haven’t changed.

Having said that, attacking the existing cruise ship business coming through Charleston Harbor makes little sense to us.

According to maritime industry sources, most “cruisers” are from North Carolina or South Carolina – a.k.a. “driving markets.” And they’re usually just embarking/ disembarking. As for passengers from other parts of the nation/ world coming into Charleston, we’re told they account for less than 10 percent of all visitors to the region each year.

According to the SCCCL, however, these visitors come with a price.

“With the continued increase in cruise operations and their associated impacts, we have serious concerns for which we have proposed simple, balanced solutions to help mitigate the negatives,” SCCCL attorney Katie Zimmerman tells FITS. “A binding cap on the number and size of cruise ships visiting Charleston is important, and also equitable, particularly when one considers how the rest of the tourism industry is limited in Charleston.”

Zimmerman also says the cruise ships need to use shorepower while at berth as opposed to continuing to run their main and auxiliary engines.

“Investment in and installation of shorepower for the homeported cruise ship to plug in, rather than idling for ten hours per visit and spewing harmful, cancer-causing pollutants into our heavily-populated downtown, is a must,” she says.

Both sides expect to have a ruling soon … we’ll be sure to let you know when that happens.

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13 comments

Undone February 3, 2013 at 2:31 pm

Charleston = alcohol and DUI capital of the state. Look at spotcrime.com and note all the arrest for drunk and disorderly conduct.

Nothing but a city for tourist and drunks. The reality of it all, Charleston is not Charleston anymore.

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Marco Visconti February 3, 2013 at 2:39 pm

Will’s argument for the terminal is jaundiced by the fact that these days mostly wealthy people live in downtown Charleston.

I do not live in Charleston but am aghast at the SPA terminal — way out of size — called “the whale” by locals throughout the tri-county area.

The “let’s build it, public-be-damned” attitude is shared by Pierre Cardin, who recently announced plans to build an oversized apartment building in Venice, Italy.

http://articles.latimes.com/2012/aug/03/world/la-fg-italy-venice-cardin-20120803

http://www.gizmag.com/pierre-cardins-palais-lumiere-venice/25464/ where one viewer wrote —

“Not only is this thing hideous, it will absolutely ruin the views of and from Venice. It’s an abomination.”

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? February 3, 2013 at 4:42 pm

Why would taxpayer money be used to build a terminal instead of cruise line money?

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Carpe Jugulum February 3, 2013 at 5:06 pm

Monsieur Fits is correct. This is boring………

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jimlewis,owb February 3, 2013 at 6:47 pm

Breaking News

Biltmore House outside of Ashville, NC has just announced they are to going to erect a ten story, 1,187 ft. x 232 ft totally clear glass septic tank to span the great lawn.

The idea was spawn by Gloria Gotshitforbrains Allred who was recently hired from the City of Charleston where she was the brains behind the idea to park Cruise Ships in an Harbor so small that a WW II sub can’t make a U turn.

One Charleston piano tuner is the only professional in favor of the ships. He claims when the ships are at dockside, their generators even operating only at ¼ power will create a hum that can be heard by the naked ear for 45 miles in any direction. No longer will he have to put a tuning fork in his back pocket.

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shifty henry February 3, 2013 at 10:52 pm

…… got it — please continue!

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Star of the West. January 9, 1861 February 3, 2013 at 10:27 pm

Boarts n hoes!

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shifty henry February 3, 2013 at 10:56 pm

…… finally translated this curious note—–

“the voice of the bally-molay brings the smell of the pale poppy-cod’s blummered blee”

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William F Buckley, Jr February 3, 2013 at 10:58 pm

Thank you. It’s all so clear to me now.

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Fish Eyes February 4, 2013 at 9:28 am

1) It’s a goddamn port – ports receive ships

2) The Carnival name is appropriate: nothing but Gatlinburg on the high seas.

3) Charleston has replaced new Orleans. Once Mother Nature flushed that toilet, the party moved North. We need another Hugo in a fucking hurry to set that bitch back about twenty years.

4)Forgot my fourth point so fuck it.

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nofaith February 4, 2013 at 10:02 am

The people of downtown Charleston deserve cruise ships and a nice big terminal to go along with it.

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Philip Branton February 4, 2013 at 11:02 am

Dear Pepe Escobar (of Asia Times Fame) ……

When you read this article, what exactly is Wil Folks brilliant at?

One has to laugh at the very first intro….

“….We addressed the cruise ship war raging in Charleston, S.C. last summer … and haven’t mentioned it since.
Why not? Because it’s boring. Even when tart tongues like ours weigh in ……”

Pepe….do you know how much foreign Diesel Fuel it takes to fill up a CRUISE Ship.!? How much taxes are paid..!? Do the cruise ships even buy fuel at the pier..!? Talk about petro dollar political swashing..!!

Wil Folks doesn’t talk about our port situation much because of the funding backlash he would receive..!! Its like Ray Lewis or Joe Flacco mentioning how many NFL Fans are slaves to foreign OIL on national TV that our men and women are getting killed for. The reason the port story is running now is that major talks are underway concerning RAIL service and big oil diesel coming out of the north end of the old shipyard.

Wil may clap and say..”….the fuel burned by Carnival is cleaner than ever…” BUT …is the fuel LOCAL or foreign…!?!?!

Wil may focus a light and say…..

“…The latest Downtowner position? They simply want the Carnival ships moved to the S.C. State Ports Authority’s Columbus Street Terminal – closer to black neighborhoods (where concerns about whales, poo and soot are moot, apparently).

BUT…..what demographics are around the BOEING plant and I-526/26 and all the hoods between the shipyard and the Ravenel BRIDGE…!?!

Pepe…just whip out Google EARTH and look at those rail lines that will be our next development “Mecca” that unknowing citizens are getting winked on….not to mention the groundwater contamination….!!!

Pepe…your an investor….is Wil Folks boring to YOU..!?!

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local November 21, 2013 at 4:23 am

I am no fan of the South of Broaders, but the types of tourists those ships bring in are the bane of my existence. If I see one more Ohio State shirt wearing tourist with a fanny pack asking dumb questions, being rude, and clogging the side walks, I’m going to scream.

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